


The New Prince

by XxKassandra



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Troy (2004)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Ancient Greece, Emotional Manipulation, Enemies to Lovers, F/F, F/M, Hector is Heartbreakingly Adorable, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Possessive Behavior, Priam and Peleus just want to get their boys married, Priam is totally oblivious, This is how the Trojan war really ended guys, To husbands actually, War, Why isn't this a tag yet? It should be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-03-10
Packaged: 2021-03-12 10:47:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 32,202
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28509159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/XxKassandra/pseuds/XxKassandra
Summary: With no side coming victorious after countless battles in Troy, Agamemnon and Priam make an agreement. By the end of the month, Troy will be under the command of a Greek ruler.Priam goes to his old ally and friend Peleus for help and the king of Phthia agrees to help him, under one condition. One of Priam's children must marry his only son, Achilles.Also, if you wanna set the mood and get a vibe for this story, check this out https://youtu.be/5FGzi6iWO6E
Relationships: Achilles/Hector (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Achilles/Hector (Troy 2004), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Peleus/Thetis (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Comments: 36
Kudos: 67





	1. The Arrangement

It would be the biggest event of all of Greece and East. It was what had made the biggest fleet to ever sail return home from war with neither side victorious after all. The whole country had been buzzing when the news that king Peleus' son would be marrying were released to the public. Young maidens were, to say the least, disappointed.

It was not something expected of Achilles, if his fair share of lovers and his careless nature were any indication. Rumors had it that Achilles would be marrying into king Priam's family. When a royal ship from Troy reached the shores of Phthia, and princess Cassandra nowhere to be seen, word spread that it was prince Hector of Troy whose hand Achilles would be taking and not his sister. A fact that was soon confirmed by sources close to the king.

Agamemnon was absolutely livid. Those had not been the terms he had agreed on with Priam when his army left the shores of Troy. What he hated the most was that the old king had kept his word, and Troy would indeed be pleading her allegiance to a Greek king by the end of the month. Foolishly, Agamemnon believed he would be that king, or at least someone close to him.

Most certainly not his most uncontrollable and untameable warrior that even he didn't truly have an allegiance with. His fists were clenched around his robes as he watched the scene in Peleus' throne room unfold in front of his eyes. Nestor had warned him about this but Agamemnon had been too careless.

Priam was a smart man indeed. He wasn't giving his younger son or his daughter to the Phthian king, he was giving his eldest, prince Hector. Rumour had it that the girl was unstable, and Paris was not one to be trusted with something so important.

He was sending his more responsible one who he had more control over. The one who would surely do anything that was to be asked of him to protect his country.

The Trojan prince looked towards his betrothed with uncertainty and reluctance while their fathers spoke of a matter they didn't truly have a say in. Achilles, the ever so confident man he was, showed no sign of holding back his stare towards Hector and seemed rather pleased with his soon to be husband. Hector on the other hand, strong as he looked in the battlefield seemed like he would break if Achilles touched him in that moment.

"Poor boy." Nestor whispered from his place next to him. If they weren't enemies, Agamemnon might have actually felt bad for him. Agamemnon may have lost Troy, but it was not like Hector was entering a happy marriage either. 

It wasn't all fallacy about Achilles. Unfaithful, with a heavy hand, if the talk was right. Hector was truly in a disadvantaging position, being to the one to leave home and be all alone with a man he didn't know that would soon have all control over his life. Once again, Achilles was the lucky bastard who got it all. No more of his men to fall in battle, the whole country was talking about him and he was getting a handsome young man as his husband. One who he would sure have fun time breaking. That was what angered Agamemnon the most, he came to realise.

"Hector." Priam spoke and Hector tore his gaze from the floor to look at his father. "Come." He outstretched his hand towards the young man and Hector rose from his seat, approaching the man.

"This day," Priam began, turning to look at the rest of the kings in the room, his hand tightening around Hector's wrist as if he had sensed his urge to flee. "I proclaim Troy's allegiance to Greece." He raised his wine filled chalice, the rest of the kings copying this gesture. "With the union of my son, prince Hector of Troy. To the prince Achilles of Phthia." Achilles stood to Priam's other side proudly, almost as if he was trying to make Hector look smaller and indeed he was succeeding. The Trojan king brought the two men by his sides on the front so they were facing each other.

Peleus passed a red ribbon to Priam which the old man used to tie Achilles and Hector's hands together.

"To peace!" Priam said first, as a custom spilling some of his wine to the floor. "To peace!" The other kings said in unison, spilling from their own chalices. "To peace." Achilles whispered for only Hector to hear. The taunt in his voice was clear and Hector looked at him in a way Achilles thought that if the Trojan bit him, poison was sure to flow inside him.

When dinner was served, Hector sat silently next to his father, blankly staring at the plate while he moved his food around with the fork. He couldn't find it in himself to eat. He simply listened to the conversation going on in the table between the kings who all seemed to have forgotten about the war and were willing to make peace. Hector could see why, but that did not mean he was happy with it.

First time he met Achilles back in Troy, the man had just desecrated the statue of Apollo, killed all his men and had played with him like a lion toying with his pray before deciding he had enough and sent him back to Troy. His father and his counsellors had still deemed it a good idea to marry him off to that man. He was his age, his father was powerful and he was very handsome, not even Hector could deny that, and that seemed to be enough. No one but Hector was concerned by the fact that Achilles may very well just kill him and call it an accident.

"Don't play with your food." Achilles said teasingly and Hector closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath to calm himself. "Would you like to have it?" Hector tried responding in a manner similar to the Greek's but still Achilles had more to say. "No. I have other things to take from you. Your food, you can keep." He replied with a smirk before turning away and Hector wouldn't admit but he was actually shaken by what Achilles had said.

It scared him how true it was. His freedom would be his, much like his body for Achilles to do with as he pleased. And if he refused, then his city. If Hector had believed they had even a slim chance of winning this war he would not have agreed to this betrothal. He was sacrificing himself for his people and his country, his sacrifice might as well be worth it.

The queen of Phthia looked at the young prince sitting on the opposite side of the table and made her heart ache. His expression so lost and hurt and his father didn't seem to notice a thing. She loved her child like nothing else in the world but she also knew him, and it made her feel even worse for Hector.

She remembered herself when she was given to Peleus. How alone and overwhelmed she had felt. It took her years to learn to love the king and accept her fate as his wife. She could only hope in a miracle from Aphrodite that Hector would find love or at least some comfort in her son. And also that the goddess may help Achilles as well.

Her boy did become very possessive of what was his. Hopefully, he would not see Hector as just another thing that belonged to him but rather love him, even that though with some moderation. It was a thin line between love and obsession that if crossed would overwhelm Hector just as much as being completely ignored, if not even more.

He surely was a strong man, Thetis didn't doubt that, but having been in his position she knew first hand what it was like to have no other choice but to stop fighting. Like father like son, she always thought when it came to her two boys. In that matter though, in control, Achilles was significantly worse than his father and something was telling Thetis he would not hesitate on bullying Hector into submission if he felt like he had to.

She should reach out to the Trojan boy, she thought. And she would. When the time came, she would.

After dinner, Hector was shown to his chamber. It was a beautiful room where plenty of sun shone in. White, brown and golden shades painted it, much like he rest of the palace and he had to admit, it looked much richer than the palace back in Troy. 

The balcony allowed an overview of the city below, from the left was the sea where Hector could see the ship that would take his father and the rest of the Trojans back home after the wedding. Ahead where the beach stopped was a high cliff on the top of which stood the temple of Poseidon on the open grass surrounded by a few trees and open greenness. The sun was beginning to set, diving down into the endless sea, giving the beautiful scenery a yellow light.

There were more colours than in Troy which was built in the sandy East, with the only greenery surrounding them being the woods around the walls, the trees inside the city and his father's gardens outside the palace. No cliffs or fields. Phthia on the other hand was a landscape made out of a painting. So much grass, flowers, trees and colourful fabrics used for tents in the markets from what Hector could see from his balcony.

"I assume you are enjoying the view?" His moment of peace was disturbed by Achilles talking from behind, Hector turned around to see him leaning on a column right at the entrance of the balcony. "Yes. It is...beautiful." Hector said and looked away from the man. The faint footsteps behind him told him that Achilles had also moved.

"I could show you some day." Achilles said, standing much closer than Hector had realised. "What if I want to leave?" Hector said, awfully aware of how impossible of a case that was. Achilles gave a humorless chuckle, sneaking an arm around Hector's waist and the other leaning on the ledge right next to the Trojan's. "I suggest you get used to it here." Achilles whispered behind his ear. "Because I do not think your father is planning on getting you back on that ship."

Hector knew, but hearing Achilles say it out loud made it become reality. And a harsh one at that. Hector shuddered, a knot tightening in the pit of his stomach. "I'll see you in the morning, prince." Achilles said and left him alone, footsteps fading away and the door shutting behind him with a soft click. Hector didn't turn around once.

The sun had set and Hector was staring at the ship that gently moved along with the same wind that brushed through his long curly hair. A ship that had brought him to a journey with no return.

Hector didn't sleep much that night. All the rest he got was troubled, clouded by nightmares of the fallen men in Troy's beach right outside the temple of Apollo. Brought to their demise by the sword of the very same man Hector was to marry in less than a few days. The man who he would have to call his husband for the rest of his life.

Hector didn't know him, and Achilles didn't know him either. How were they to be wedded, live together and start a family pretending to be a couple that loved one another while all they've seen from each other were blood covered warriors fighting for opposing sides.

Hector didn't know if Achilles felt as trapped as he did. If so, he definitely didn't show it. But in the terms they were, it wasn't like he would tell Hector anything. Hector didn't know what to wish for. If it would make him feel better if Achilles thought the same and this was just a facade that he would hopefully drop, or if he truly was unbothered by the situation they were in. Achilles should be bothered, a part of his mind reminded him but a disagreeing one said that maybe if Achilles was not as against this marriage as he was and at least one of them was willing try, then maybe it would be less torturous. Maybe it would even help him adjust.

It was dawn when he stirred from his sleep. The pale light of the first awakening of the sun illuminating the room and all the hopes of this being a bad dream turned into thin air. Never in his life had Hector been more envious of his little brother. He was still back home, with the woman he loved while Hector suffered the consequences of the war Paris caused.

He stared outside of the balcony blankly for what seemed like hours until sleep took him once again.

"My lord." Came a quiet feminine voice that pulled Hector from his dreamless sleep. He grunted, shifting on the bed. "Breakfast will be served down the hall." She informed and Hector muttered something along the lines of 'I'll be there in a bit' which was enough for the young maid to walk out of the room.

Despite his body's- and mind's- protests Hector pulled himself up, not wanting to displease the kings or Achilles before the wedding even took place. He had to make sure peace was certain between them and his city.

He didn't know what he was to wear, so he simply stayed in the robe he wore the night before like they did in Troy and after refreshing to look more awake, he hastily walked down the hall and into the dining room.

Fortunately for him, he wasn't the only one dressed in informal attire, and the guests hadn't come down yet either. It was only Peleus, Thetis, Achilles and his father. Good, he didn't want to be the odd one out nor the last to arrive.


	2. The Gardens

"The prince has cared to join us, how pleasant." Achilles said, voice tinted with irony, smiling at Hector. White robes wrapped loosely around his muscular body exposing his toned torso. Hector cleared his throat when he realised he had been staring and greeted the others present in the room who replied in similar manners.

Hector wanted to sigh when he saw that his father was seated next to the queen instead of next to him like where he was yesterday. Peleus was at the head of the table and with no other choices, Hector had to sit next to Achilles. It wasn't the man he minded, it was the tension between them.

When the servants brought the plates of fruit and nuts on the table while it was still just the five of them, Hector realised it would remain as such. Which only meant he would have to talk, something that didn't much please him. He also didn't like how this moment resembled a family morning. He didn't consider these people, besides Priam of course, his family, but knew he would have to eventually. 

The three started talking about preparations of the wedding, a topic that had both Achilles and Hector remain quiet for a long while before the blond prince spoke. "While you address these matters, Hector and I shall be going outside. I will show him to the gardens."

Hector looked at Achilles curiously but before he could say anything, Priam spoke. "That is a wonderful idea. Go ahead."

Achilles got up from his seat and Hector followed after a long glance at his father. "Hector." Achilles called, urging Hector to follow along as he walked through the halls of the palace. Hector looked around at the painted walls and and vases with flowers through the hallway until they reached the end and stepped out of the building.

"You're not the talkative type, are you?" Achilles asked as they walked down the wide steps of the palace's patio. "I have nothing to say." Hector replied simply, now next to Achilles while they walked through the greens of the garden. The early morning air carried the fragrance of a variety of flowers. "Really? Even about the preparations of your own wedding?"

"It is not the wedding I wanted." Hector said before he could stop himself, realising how rude it sounded. "You can have any type of wedding you want, prince. It is the husband you don't want. Don't mistake that." Achilles replied ever so casually, concealing any bitterness that might have been there, potentially brought by what Hector had said.

Hector remained silent, so Achilles continued. "It is brave of you, I have to admit. Marrying someone for your kingdom."

Hector frowned, looking at the blond. "You are doing the same." Achilles huffed at that. "It is not my kingdom that is threatened, Trojan." He stated, and much truth was held inside that. "Why did you agree on it then?" Hector could not help but ask.

"If it wasn't you it would have been someone else, what is the difference?" Achilles said. His honesty brutal. "I would eventually have to marry anyway."

"Maybe you would find somebody else. Someone you wanted to spend your life with." Hector said, unable to quite read the expression on the Greek's face. "Very poetic of you." Achilles chuckled. "But one does not marry for love, prince. They marry for duty. Look at yourself." He added, nodding towards Hector.

"You don't believe there is something good to come out of even the worst?"

That made Achilles look Hector in the eyes. Icy blue piercing dark brown. "Do you deem this the worst fate you can suffer, Hector?" Achilles asked after a small but bitter laugh. 

The Trojan gulped, tearing his eyes away from Achilles'. That really hadn't been the way he meant for it to come out. "No." He replied truthfully, his situation wasn't ideal but it was surely not the worst either. He could be a prisoner of war or even sent to Hades. Marrying Achilles was certainly better that those.

"You would have lost that war. And only the Gods know what your fate would have been." Achilles said as a matter of fact. Hector sighed looking up towards the sky for a brief moment. "Do you enjoy provoking me?" Hector asked him, brows furrowed. "It is not my intention. I am simply speaking the truth."

"How do you know I would have lost the war and you wouldn't?" Hector asked, his gaze heated while Achilles' remained cool. "There were fifty thousand Greeks right outside your gates. I am not saying I personally would have been the one to win, for all I know we both might have been crossing the river Styx by now."

"You underestimate us."

"I most certainly don't. Especially not you. On the contrary, prince. Had I not thought highly of you, you would not be standing where you are." Achilles said. Hector had, despite never having the intentions of taking the prince, intrigued him. Legends of his bravery during the war were known among the Greeks and Hector had done them justice in the battlefield but also the temple. His men had been slaughtered yet he showed courage, didn't run or cower in front of the Myrmidons who had him surrounded. He had spoken wise words to Achilles and had left a strong impression.

At last, a worthy opponent. Achilles had thought, unaware at the time where they would be standing now.

Hector kept staring at Achilles. "You truly are something." He muttered, eyes narrowed. Achilles smiled. "Who knows, maybe you'll like it here."

The silence that had fallen upon them on their way back to the palace was no longer an uncomfortable one, it was mostly Hector taking in the view and Achilles letting him as he observed the prince. He was still contemplating on how he wanted to go about the whole situation. 

He could still keep treating Hector poorly, and as much as he enjoyed taunting the prince, he would have him miserable in the palace wishing to go home. Or he could try and please him. They wouldn't be falling in love within a week that was certain, but they could at least be in good terms by the time of the wedding. They would be married after all, it wasn't like they could ignore each other for the rest of their lives.

Not when everyone expected things of them. Not when a war depended on that and in all honesty, Achilles didn't want to be the biggest regret of Hector's life, now that he came to think of it. To have word spreading around of how the greatest warrior of all Greece was nothing but a failure when it came to his marriage and how much pain he was causing his husband. 

When he put it like that, the choice was one and a pretty obvious one at that.

Neither of them had realised how much time had passed when they returned to the palace at midday. "Thank you." Hector told him while they walked back to the palace in the direction of their rooms. "For what?" Achilles stopped walking and looked at him.

"For showing me around." Hector said, and for having a decent conversation for once, he wanted to add but didn't. Not wanting to take them ten steps behind from the one small step forward they had taken. "You're welcome, prince." He said with a small smile and turned his heel to walk away but stopped and looked over his shoulder towards him. "Wear something more than that at lunch. The kings will be there." He informed and Hector nodded.

He was about to leave when Achilles grabbed his arm and pulled him close. "Not everyone gets to see you like this." He whispered, it was low and almost predatory. Before Hector could answer, Achilles was already walking away.

The Trojan watched him walk down the hall for a little longer before he went inside his room. What Achilles had said brought an uncomfortable feeling to Hector's stomach. It reminded him that in a week, Achilles would be all over him if he pleased, and Hector would have no right to stop it.

Once the door was shut, Hector sighed heavily. It was only midday. Not time to sleep yet. He had no clue how he would spend the rest of his day and didn't know if more interactions with Achilles would do more bad than good.

Laying in his bed, he had no idea how to pass his time. He knew he wasn't obliged to remain in the chamber yet he did not feel comfortable wandering around the palace by himself. Instead of staying on the bed and sulking about his fate and admittedly, boredom, he decided to pay a visit to his father.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All your kudos are appreciated and thank you for following along in this story! 
> 
> Much love, see you all in chapter three!


	3. Father's Word

"Father." Hector spoke, making his presence known to the old king sitting on the big divan on the balcony much like the one in Hector's room, reading. "Come, child." Priam pat the mattress next to him.

His father didn't lift his eyes from the book as Hector sat next to him. "What are you reading?" Hector looked at the book. "Oh this?" Priam nodded towards the book in his hands. "The philosophy of Socrates, written by one of his pupils, Plato. Truly enlightening." Hector raised his eyebrows, nodding. "We shall attend one of his lectures one day."

"Yes father."

"Even though they are not really lectures. Socrates makes conversation to emit the answers from the listener rather than preach on what he believes is true." Priam explained and Hector couldn't help but smile at his father's enthusiasm. "That is quite interesting. You should definitely attend, father. Maybe take Peleus with you." Hector said, indirectly commenting on his father's newfound closeness with the Phthian king. 

"Oh wouldn't that be delightful." Both Priam and Hector chuckled at that. If there was something about the man Hector realised from the few times he had seen him, the man loved talking. And a lot at that, having the tendency to bring people to agree with whatever he was saying. It would truly be a sight to watch him have a conversation with Socrates.

"Speaking of Peleus, how was your talk with Achilles?" Priam asked. Hector was momentarily disappointed in himself for believing his father wouldn't ask about the blond prince. "Better." Hector replied plainly.

"Better?" Priam's tone urged Hector to elaborate further. "He didn't insult me." Hector said, even though he had been immensely irritated by Achilles' arrogant views of the war and how he expressed them. He couldn't deny though that there was truth to what Achilles had said. Had he not been right and Troy had a change of winning, Hector would not be marrying him in the first place. He though would never admit that in front of Achilles.

Priam frowned at that. "Hector." He said in a scolding tone. "The man has no such intentions."

"Sure, whatever those intentions might be." Hector scoffed and leaned behind until his back was against the mattress of the furniture. "Please, try to make peace with him. If it gets too bad, I will find a way to get you out but I have to ask you to try. For Troy." Priam put his hand on top of his son's. "You know I would do anything for our city, and you, father."

Priam nodded, offering a half hearted smile to Hector and a squeeze on his hand. "What is it you fear? That he will hurt you?" He began, encouraging Hector to open up and talk about what he was feeling. Something he didn't much do anymore. "No." Hector shook his head, which was partly right. The physical pain Hector could take. It was the emotional burden he didn't know if he could bear. "I don't want is to spend the rest of my life locked away in a palace raising children and weaving." Hector admitted half the truth. What he said also worried him, just as much as the fact that he really, really did not want to become the object Achilles took his anger out on.

Being locked away in a palace was bad, but nursing a black eye was not pleasant either. He did not want to talk about this with his father though.

"My son, if Achilles wanted someone to raise his children and weave, he would not be marrying you. I'm sure his father could find him a wife if he pleased." Priam said and it made Hector feel only somewhat better. 

It was indeed true, Peleus knew his son. He would not have lasted a day with a wife before he returned to his old ways. Hector though was not only a man but he was also a warrior. He could understand Achilles like no potential wife could. And while Achilles' spirit might be more fierce and fiery than Hector's calm and serene one, the king had deemed them compatible. Maybe the Trojan prince would even tame his unruly son. It had not only been the allegiance Peleus thought of when he agreed on wedding his only son to Hector. Hopefully, the two would balance each other out.

They could do good to one another, Peleus believed. Hector could bring Achilles down from his high horse a little, and Achilles could help Hector become more open and talkative. Make him more confident in himself.

To Hector, it was a bad idea. He would much rather not have to deal with Achilles' extroverted personality and have someone quiet by his side, much like himself. He didn't think a man who would much rather beat him down would help him with his confidence. Everyone else though thought of this as a great match, ignoring Hector's concerns even though it was his life. He was used to that though, he was a prince after all.

"I do not wish to carry children." The young prince said, brows furrowing with worry. "They are a blessing, Hector." Priam said, and while he did believe that there was also nothing else he could say on the topic. Telling him that he wouldn't need to give Achilles an heir would be a lie that would have only made Hector less prepared for what was to come.

The melancholy but also the fear was quite evident on Hector's face. Priam let go of Hector's hand to wrap his arm around his shoulders. "Oh, do you not want to give me a grandson or granddaughter to hold and tell stories to? To teach them and play with them?" He spoke with a smile as an image of the future was painted in both their minds. Priam didn't want to say grandson only, despite what was desired. The last thing he needed was putting more pressure on Hector's shoulders over something he could not control.

"I was so happy when you were born. When you started to talk and said your first words. You can't know how that feels until you experience it yourself." As Priam talked, Hector leaned his head on his shoulder and imagined what it would be like. If all went as planned, in a year from now his father will be holding the grandchild he so desired. And what would be of Hector?

Will he have become the shell of a man he once were, simply there but his mind wandering elsewhere? Or will he have found happiness in the man that now only seemed to be taking everything from him without giving anything back?

Hector had no more time to think of that when a servant boy came to tell them it was time for lunch. Just the perfect time to see Achilles, after such talk with Priam, Hector thought ironically.

"My lords." A servant boy stood at the door with his head bowed and arms pressed to his sides. "The ariston will be served soon." He informed. "Yes, yes, thank you." Priam and and the servant boy nodded before walking backwards until he was out of the picture.

"Come, son. Go get ready." Priam urged as he got up and went inside the room. Hector sat on the couch for a while longer staring at the book his father had left next to him. 'E epithimia ya tin eftihian.' The title of the book read and Hector opened it in the first page. A book titled 'the desire for happiness' was surely intriguing to a prince that seemed to be falling in misery more and more every day.

"Any human's choice is motivated by the desire of happiness." Hector muttered the sentence and scoffed at how ironic that was. He closed the book again and sighed, looking towards the side of the sea his father's balcony had a view on.

He got up and walked to the door. "Go on, son. Go on." His father said from in front of the mirror where he was standing, now wearing formal attire, and Hector chuckled as he got out of the room. When he was out and the door was shut behind him and Priam could not see, Hector's smile fell. His father was so happy. Hector had a chance to make him proud and yet he couldn't find satisfaction in that thought anymore. 

As he got ready, Hector could only hope Achilles wouldn't take the tiny progress they had made even further behind with a snarky comment or remark of his and went downstairs. There, once again he sat in relative silence.

Odysseus looked over his chalice at Hector as he drank his wine and kept staring at the prince after he set the chalice down. Hector looked lost in his own thoughts, much like yesterday but even more so today. He occasionally glanced at Achilles by his side but always ended up looking down. Hector looked so unsure Odysseus actually felt bad.

Hector was justified for feeling as such, of course. He was in the middle of the lion's den after all with all the predators ready to pounce on him and his father didn't seem to be of much help. Actually, Priam seemed to be on the other side of the spectrum as well. He was excited about this wedding and he didn't understand anything going on inside Hector's head.

Odysseus pondered on whether he should talk to Hector or not. He was after all Achilles' friend, maybe he should give Hector some information about Achilles that would ease him and change his mind about the man. Maybe, just not yet.

"Which one do you prefer, Hector?" Odysseus asked and Hector looked at him with confused eyes. "About what?" The Trojan asked uncertainly. He knew they were talking about the wedding but he had let his mind wander for the past minutes and didn't know what Odysseus was asking him, making him feel rather awkward and caught off guard.

"About the wine of course. Red or white?" Odysseus explained with a lighthearted laugh to get Hector out of the tight spot he had accidentally put him in. "Oh I...I don't know."

"Why, white of course!" Nestor intervened. "White is more regal." He said and the big man sitting next to Hector laughed. "Don't listen to the old fool, red is richer, prince."

"Don't worry, kings. This wedding will have all you want." Achilles said and Odysseus didn't miss the look Hector gave him.

The king of Ithaca was glad that his question had lifted the mood in the table as the kings started bantering with each other and Hector seemed to finally relax a bit.

After the ariston, everyone retreated to their chambers for the afternoon before any of them had their free time to do as they pleased with the evening until they returned to the palace by nightfall for the symposium.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know Socrates did not live in the same period that the Trojan war supposedly happened but I'd rather have someone everyone knows than another not so well known philosopher.
> 
> Also there are discussions of mpreg but I don't know if I will actually include it in the story.


	4. The Agora

As Achilles walked through the hall to return to his room he stopped when he heard his mother call his name and turned around to look at her. "Go out in the evening." She said and stopped in front of Achilles once she had caught up with him.

"What?" Achilles asked. "Take Hector with you and go somewhere." She said and Achilles looked at her with a questioning frown. "I'm sure you cannot expect of him to spend all his time with his father. Keep him company."

Achilles huffed. "I'm not sure he appreciates my company, mother." He scoffed and Thetis looked away in exasperation for a moment. "You can't avoid him your whole life, Achilles. He is to be your husband." Thetis said and Achilles stared into her eyes. What she said was true, Achilles wasn't waiting for her to say it to realise it.

"Give it a chance, Hector is a good man."

"I haven't said he is a bad man but I don't know him, I don't-" Achilles tried to argue but his mother cut him off. "Do you want to see him wither away? Because he will, this I know, Achilles. And you will both spend your lives in regret of what couldn't have been, void of any joy." She said, squeezing his hand. Achilles stared at her with a frown and his nose scrunched.

"Is this one of your prophesies or..." 

"Anyone can see this, you don't need a prophesy!" Thetis said, agitated and almost threw away her son's hand. "Fine! I'll take him out, gods!" Achilles ceded, equally exasperated.

"Brilliant." She gave him a wide, pleased smile. "Have fun." She said and pat his arm as she walked away. Achilles stared after her for a few moments before shaking his head and going to his chamber.

Some time later, he found Hector in his own chamber, not that he expected him to be anywhere else, sitting on the bed reading. "Get dressed, we're going out." Achilles said and threw him a plain brown cloak. "And get those out of your hair." He added, motioning around his own hair. Hector looked at him with confusion but Achilles gave him no answer and walked out of the room just as he had come in.

With a heavy sigh and equally heavy footsteps, Hector went to the mirror and sat himself down on the chair in front of it to start taking off his golden hair clips. Just like Achilles demanded he did, he thought and sighed once again. First his the hair clips, then his shoes with his clothes to surely follow.

Hector frowned and forced his mind to think of something else. Something besides what was set to happen to him in some days and how much he did not want to go anywhere alone Achilles. He once again though, didn't have a choice.

After he was done with his hair and all of the golden clips were on the table in front of him he gathered them all close to one another by pushing them more to the middle of the surface with the palms of his hands. He then looked at himself in the mirror and lazily ran a hand through his long curly hair that was now unbraided.

He got up and went to rummage through the stuff he had brought with him until he found a plain brown hair tie and used it to tie the bottom part of his hair much like what it looked like with the golden clip, just to keep it in place. After that he took the brown cloak from the bed and walked out.

He walked through the halls with a certain unease. He didn't know where he was supposed to find Achilles and he did not want to wander in the palace where he could bump into anyone, especially Agamemnon. The king of Mecynae would not hold back his comments and mind games if he found Hector alone and while the prince too was rather good with words, he would much rather not have to enter that cat and mouse game.

He was already in it with Achilles.

When he was outside on the patio he thankfully saw Achilles standing there with his back turned to him, staring off in the distance. Hector didn't need to make his presence known with words, Achilles had heard his footsteps and turned around. Hector should have expected it. Such a trained warrior must surely be able to pick up on these things, to know when someone was sneaking up on him. Just like a lion.

"Couldn't you have taken any longer?" Achilles said. He didn't look angry but not overjoyed either. Hector held back his words and simply started walking. "Wait up." Achilles moved fast and grabbed Hector by the wrist, pulling him back once again. "Would you not do that?" Hector asked with annoyance evident in his voice but also his face. He did not appreciate being pulled and pushed around like how a master treated their slave. "Well then you need to stop walking away from me. You can't, even if you start walking hours before me." Achilles said, tone on edge like he too was trying to hold back.

"You can tell me to stop like a normal person, you don't have to pull me." He said, deciding to ignore the last part of what Achilles had said. "Fine, princess. I won't pull you since you're so fragile." Achilles said, his grip on Hector's wrist tightening and becoming painful very quickly. "You are insufferable." Hector muttered, pulling his hand away but not managing to free himself from the other man.

"And your husband." Achilles smirked, bringing Hector's hand up and squeezing even tighter just to watch the prince trying to fight the urge to tell him to let go. To admit that it hurts.

"Now put that on." He said, tossing Hector's hand aside to use both his hands to pull the hood of his cloak over his head. Hector wanted to smack Achilles' hands away from him and get the hood on by himself but Achilles took a step back anyway.

"Follow me and don't even try running off." He said as he put on his own hood and to Hector it sounded like a threat. He followed close as they walked away from the palace and into the main part of the city. They walked through the roads and Hector observed the houses but tried not to stare too obviously at the people who were sitting outside. 

Many more blonds, he noticed. There were no natural blonds in Troy, some women did bleach their hair but Achilles was the first man with naturally blond hair Hector had seen. Still more brunettes but most of them had lighter skin than the Trojans and the long manes that were considered fashionable in Troy were not much of thing here apparently.

Achilles was leading him through narrow backstreets, not the main roads, possibly to draw less attention to themselves. Finally they reached a spot were there where no more houses and the tented market spread out in front of them.

"Will you just stand there?" Achilles said and Hector had not realised he had stopped and was staring at the crowded open air marketplace. "Come." Achilles urged, now softly taking Hector by the forearm as to not lose him in the crowd. Despite his outburst, he now had in his mind what Hector had told him. And now that Achilles had gotten his arm more gently, he saw that Hector didn't protest.

Entering the agora, there was space in the middle for the people to walk and on the two sides, left and right, the merchants had their shops and craftsmen made and sold their ware. One could find all kinds of goods in there. There were confectioners who made pastries and sweets, fishmongers, vintners, cloth merchants, shoemakers, dressmakers, and jewelry purveyors. A special separate 'potters market' was reserved for the buying and selling of cookware. Hector tried not to look at the slave traders but their presence was inevitable, no matter how much he hated it, even back in Troy.

The merchants were shouting, telling people to come see their goods and pick what they like. The chattering all around them was loud and Hector could hear the distant sound of a lyre playing in the background.

Achilles had taken his hand from Hector and allowed him to go see the things he liked. When he thought Achilles couldn't see him, he got his aching wrist in his hand and rubbed it gently. He wasn't too bothered by it, he was more invested in the market to pay it any more mind. Achilles did see him but as Hector didn't seem to pay it any mind, he didn't either.

When they were deep into the crowd, Hector was the first one to take the hood of his cloak down and Achilles followed the gesture. It was easier to blend in that way.

Achilles couldn't help the smile on his face, Hector did look like a child given a sweet. He was marveling at the people and the things for sale alike. "You look like you've never been to the market before." Achilles smiled, coming to stand next to Hector as the brunette looked down at the clothes displayed on the wooden counters.

"I haven't." Hector said without looking at Achilles. "Father says a prince doesn't belong at place like this." He explained as he looked through the clothes, scanning all the patterns and colours. "Ah, you have been missing out. One can hear about all the gossip in the market."

"Is that so." Hector said, rather uninterested. He was never one for gossip.

"Like that over there, per say." He nodded to the side and Hector turned towards the merchant that was playfully teasing a couple of young maidens, making them giggle and fluster. "With this, you will look even more radiant than the foreign prince." The merchant said with a big smile, his eyebrows raised as he pushed a deep red tunic with the golden embroideries towards the girls.

"Radiant." Achilles repeated with a chuckle and saw a small smile on Hector's face that the prince tried to suppress but failed to do so completely. With his wits, the merchant did convince the girls to buy the tunic after all and Hector wouldn't lie, he was impressed by how persuasive these people could be.

"I'll be right there." Achilles told him, looking towards the craftsmen. "Don't get lost." He warned and trailed off after Hector nodded.

"Handsome fellow, you are." The merchant then stood in front of Hector from the other side of the counter. "Oh, you're kind." Hector chuckled, glancing up but then averting his eyes back down. "Do they not tell you often? I'm sure a man like you would have a lovely wife or husband." The merchant said, laying out more tunics for Hector to see. "My husband is not the very affectionate type, you see." Hector said, knowing that Achilles was not listening as he was a little further down talking to some man who had warcraft in his store.

Hector almost wanted to roll his eyes. That was all Achilles seemed to be interested in. That though could give him the opportunity to run off. He thought about it but only briefly. He didn't know the streets of Phthia and even if he by some miracle managed to get to the ship, he could not sail to Troy by himself. Realistically, he would not even make it to the ship. Achilles would probably find him and drag him back to the palace by the hair.

"Ah, that is a shame." The older man spoke, taking Hector out of his thoughts back to reality. "Beauty like yours is rare. You do look very exotic, Eastern maybe? Or are you from down below from any of our islands? Oh that's a very pretty colour." The merchant chattered, a very talkative man indeed.

"What do you say?" Hector asked his opinion, holding the tunic up to his body for the bearded merchant to see. "Very beautiful. This fabric," He began, motioning for Hector to come closer and he did. "It comes from Troy, they have the best tunics in these dark blue shades. They say it's prince Hector's favourite." The merchant said as if he was revealing a big secret and Hector chuckled. "Do they now?"

"Oh yes." The merchant confirmed. Hector did have a lot of blue tunics, it was true. He did not expect word of it to reach Greece as well though. "Well, while I do like it, I want to see something more of the colours you wear here." He said and put the dark blue tunic down.

"Ah, wait then." The merchant said and bent down to reach for other fabrics from underneath the counter. "So you are foreign." The merchant said, still tucked down. "I am." Hector confirmed, leaning on the counter.

"Let me guess..." The merchant came back up with a small pile of clothes in his arms that he set down on top of the other clothes that were already on the counter. "Thebes." He said, looking at Hector with a guessing smile. "You found it."

"Ah, of course!" The merchant laughed victoriously, clapping his hands once. "With the first try, very impressive." Hector praised.

"Will you be at the prince's wedding?" The merchant asked, putting both his hands in the counter and leaning on them as he looked at Hector. "I'm not very keen on weddings." Hector said plainly, picking up a tunic to take a better look at it before letting it back down. "Oh, you should. There will be food and music, dancing, you know. All that stuff. And wine of course! King Peleus is generous with his wine."

"I'm sure he is." Hector huffed. "You should bring your husband as well. You could maybe join us, my family and I live right down that street." He pointed with his finger and Hector turned around to see where. "Do you usually tell your costumers where you live?"

"It is no secret! And everyone is welcome in Markos' home." The merchant said happily and Hector couldn't help but smile. It was nice to finally be treated like a normal person and not see people stress over how to talk to him simply because he had a title and a fancy home. He was nothing more special than any of them, even though most royals would passionately disagree with him.

Achilles approached Hector again, standing behind him. "Did you find anything you like?" Achilles asked, his voice low as he wrapped his arms around Hector, leaning his chin down on his shoulder. "Yes. This one." He nodded towards the light blue one, fighting the urge to turn around and push Achilles away from him. "Hm, take it then." He said and dropped a few coins down to the counter. 

"Very good choice." Markos said, giving the couple a smile. "I think you were wrong." The older man said and Hector knew exactly what he was referring to. "Maybe." He said but in his mind, he knew that he was not. Achilles was not doing this because he loved him, he was being dominant. A portrayal of posession, for Hector to wear something he had bought for him.

"Come, my love." Achilles said, patting Hector's arm before he started walking. "Wait!" Markos shouted just loud enough for Hector to hear him through the hubbub of the loud, busy market and Hector turned around. "I didn't get your name."

"Hector." He smiled and turned back around to follow Achilles before he could see Markos' eyes widen with the realisation.


	5. Castaway

"Would you have gone?" Achilles asked once he had led Hector out of the market. "What?" Hector looked at him with a frown. "Yes, what." Achilles mocked. "To his house!" He shouted angrily. "What are you even saying?" Hector took a step back. "You know what I'm saying, I saw the way he was looking at you!"

"You saw nothing, we were simply talking. Can I not talk to anyone but you?" Hector defended himself. "No, you can't!" Achilles growled. "You can't keep me caged in the palace!" Hector argued. "Oh, do you want to try me?" He came closer. Hector took another step backwards but his back hit a wall. Hector saw Achilles' hand tightening into a fist and it made panic rise inside him. He was trapped between him and the wall with no one around. He would not hit him. He wouldn't dare. Hector told himself that and put on a brave face.

"If you lay a hand on me, this agreement is over. I'm going home and I don't care if you and your army find yourselves outside Troy's gates again." He said sternly and pushed past Achilles, bumping his shoulder to his and walked away. He hoped he had looked as determined as he thought and that Achilles had not been able to see the fear he felt inside.

Achilles stared at him, surprised by the prince's bravery. Right where he thought he had Hector in a tight spot, he once again found his way out of it, just like he had in the temple. Slowly, Achilles' fist unclenched and he walked after Hector. He could easily catch up, but he decided on giving him some space for the both of them to cool down.

Once they were outside the palace, Achilles called Hector's name but received no answer. He wanted to make Hector look at him but restrained himself. He walked faster so he could be next to him and even then, Hector kept ignoring him.

"I wouldn't have hit you." He said and finally Hector turned to him, stopping his steps. "Wouldn't you? I think you would." Hector said and what Achilles saw now was not anger, it was sadness and he found himself bothered by it more than he had been with the anger but in a completely different way.

"And if you so wanted to know, no. I would not have gone, not without you at least. He told me to bring my husband, but I don't think my husband wants to go." He said bitterly and walked away, his words stabbing Achilles in the chest like a dagger. This time, he didn't follow Hector.

He sat down on the stairs of the patio as Hector went back inside. He sat there in silence looking at the leaves of the trees moving with the wind as the orange light of the evening sun slowly turned darker while its source descended down towards the sea. He heard light footsteps from behind him but didn't turn around. 

"What did you do?" He heard his mother's voice and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath and preparing for the lecture that would surely follow. "Nothing." He lied, not wanting to talk about it. "Should I go ask Hector?" She warned in her usual tone but this time Achilles simply shrugged. "If you want to." He said wearily.

His mother's reactions were always uncertain. She was just like the ocean, she cound be calm and relaxing, comforting. Other times though there were waves and maelstroms that could pull one in and make their lungs burn for air until she felt like they finally had enough and let them go. Achilles did admire her for that, she could be more intimidating than his father if she pleased and without her, Peleus was lost like a castaway wandering aimlessly in the endless waters, no matter how much the two of them fought. Whether he and Hector would become something similar throughout the years or if they would absolutely despise one another was still unclear.

"I suppose the day in the market didn't go as planned." She said and sighed as she sat down next to him. Achilles looked at her but said nothing. "Do you want to tell me?" She asked. Achilles looked away slowly, shaking his head. "No. Not right now." He said and thankfully his mother did not press him. She didn't have to, she already knew. Her son's quick temper and possessive behaviour was what ended many of his relationships in the past.

"You should talk to him." She suggested and Achilles huffed. "He will surely want to talk to me." He scoffed but Thetis persisted. "It doesn't matter, Achilles. This is how relationships work, with discussions. You should talk to him and he will talk to you, eventually." She said calmly, rubbing his shoulder. "All right." He agreed and his mother smiled. "Good," She said and pulled him closer to kiss his temple. "Now come inside." She leaned on his shoulder to lift herself up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry that chapter wasn't as long as the other ones. I hope I gave some more depth to Achilles' thoughts and that he may not know what exactly he feels for Hector but something is definitely there.


	6. Drunken Words

When Achilles went inside, everyone was already there. He didn't even bother going up to his chambers to get changed, what would they say? That he was a bad host? He didn't much care about that. In the crowd of kings and servants, he spotted Hector sitting next to Priam. Both men noticed him as well and kept talking, not even trying to hide that they were talking about him.

Achilles sighed and almost plopped down next to his father on the divan, rather ungracefully. "I'm not even asking." Peleus said, taking a large gulp of his wine. For Achilles to be sitting with him and not with his future husband, that meant he had done something, and Peleus didn't want to know right now. "Don't ask." Achilles said, not wanting to talk about it either, and took the chalice a servant offered him. 

He usually quite liked those kind of events. There was wine, food and beautiful women but now, everything seemed dull. The kings were talking and laughing but Achilles was not paying attention, he was letting the wine flow in his system and stayed away from the food, hopefully that would help him get intoxicated faster.

It was late into the night and it had been long now Hector had disappeared when Achilles finally pulled himself up from next to his father, standing on unsteady legs. "Where are you going?" Peleus asked, a young maiden on his lap. "Mother...will kill you." Achilles said drunkenly, waving his finger towards Peleus who burst out a laugh. "I know!" The equally drunk king said loudly, not even noticing how his son had not answered his question.

Achilles walked away from the symposium that was taking place in the great hall of the palace, finding himself in the corridor. The stairs were a struggle to climb while drunk but Achilles was nothing if not persistent. He held on to the wall and managed to go all the way up to his chamber.

There, he fell down to the bed face first and stayed there until he felt something underneath him that prevented him from laying flat on the bed. Finally he got enough motivation to turn to his side with a grunt and pull what was bothering him from underneath.

He stared at the unfamiliar tunic in his hand for a moment before he realised what it was. The one Hector had bought from the agora. He had been so mad at Achilles he had brought it back. He didn't want anything the man bought for him.

Letting out a frustrated groan at the thought, Achilles brought the tunic to his face and smelled it. It smelled like the market, not enough like Hector as Achilles would have wanted. Even if it did, he didn't want to keep it.

Hector was in his own chamber brushing his hair in front of the mirror, now changed in his night attire when the wooden door opened and Achilles came in. Hector stared at him with cautious eyes and remained unmoving.

"This is yours." Achilles said, waving the light blue fabric in front of him. "You can keep it." Hector said sourly. "No, no." Achilles said, shaking both his head and his hand as he came closer to Hector. He saw the Trojan pulling further back into his chair but in his drunken mind, Achilles didn't even think about stopping his steps until he was right in front of him. "You keep it." He said and let the tunic fall down to Hector's lap. Hector briefly stared at it before looking at Achilles again, his eyes going down with him when Achilles got on his knees.

"It was a gift." He said, putting his hands on Hector's knees and letting them travel all the way up to his thighs until Hector put his on top to stop him. "From me...to you." He leaned his head on Hector's legs. "You don't give back gifts." He muttered, his thumbs gently circling Hector's knuckles after he had turned his hands so he was holding Hector's and not the other way around. "How much wine did you have?"

"I don't know...A lot." He shrugged, nuzzling more on Hector. "Why?" Hector asked, not really knowing why he was concerned. Achilles could drink himself to death if he pleased, Hector shouldn't care. "To forget...what...I did." He said drowsily. Hector frowned, now conflicted. He didn't know how much exactly Achilles had to drink and at what exact amount of control of what he was saying he had. "Do you feel bad about it?" He asked, somewhere deep inside him, he wanted Achilles to feel bad about it. This was unkind, his mother would have told him. But how much kindness could one show to someone who did not appreciate it?

Achilles nodded, his brows pulled into a remorseful frown. "Forgive me, please. I wouldn't hit you and...and I won't do it again, I promise." He said, his hands tightening on Hector's tunic. "Forgiven." Hector said, putting a hand on Achilles hair. He wanted to ask more, see what Achilles would say but he couldn't find it in himself to do that. It felt like he was taking advantage of him since Achilles was clearly not in control of himself and Hector was not that type of person.

"You smell like a whore." He said after a few minutes of silence. "I didn't...touch them...I...I swear." He mumbled. "No one...only you, my husband...No whore." He said, his words slurred and followed by a failed attempt of what seemed to be a kiss on Hector's knee that ended up as more of a press of his lips against him.

Trying to talk with him at the moment would get Hector nowhere. Achilles was muttering incoherent thoughts of his wine flooded mind and was too far gone. "I believe you." Hector assured and it seemed to somewhat calm Achilles. Hector was internally cursing at himself for caring so much as to even want to ask someone if that was the case in the morning.

What difference would it make? Even if Achilles didn't spend his time with a whore tonight, he would do it some other time. Hector didn't expect of him to be a faithful husband. He didn't want to think about it too much for he knew it would bring that uncomfortable tightening in his chest.

He did not only care for that, he also cared for Achilles at that moment, no matter how much he didn't want to. It was just in his nature to care and help those who needed it, and Achilles surely did. He was so drunk he probably didn't even know where he was.

"Are you all right?" He leaned closer and asked when Achilles groaned and shifted uncomfortably. "No." Achilles muttered, his voice coming out strangled. "What is it?"

Achilles clutched Hector's tunic, not daring to speak. He had wanted to get completely drunk but drinking on an empty stomach was never good and now he was feeling the consequences. He was starting to get shaky, the room was moving around him and he felt nauseous.

Hector had never gotten that drunk, but he knew of Paris how it felt, which was horrible, for a lack of a better term. "Do you feel the walls coming closer?" Hector asked, just to test. "Yes." Achilles grunted out. "Are they...really?"

"No." Hector chuckled even though he knew he shouldn't. "Don't laugh." Achilles said through gritted teeth. "Forgive me." He said quickly, still smiling at how Achilles was holding onto him so tightly. "Do you want some water?" He offered but Achilles shook his head as much as he could. "Just...stay here."

"All right." Hector said and started caressing Achilles' hair, hesitantly at first but finding a pattern as the time passed. "Hector?" Achilles whispered. "I'm here." Hector said reassuringly. Very soon after, Achilles was asleep against him. 

So heavily, he did not even wake up when Hector dragged him all the way to the bed and put him up. Hector let out a huff when he finally had him placed on the bed, sitting down beside him for a moment. "You are heavier than you look." He said, knowing that Achilles could not hear him.

He sighed, staring at Achilles' calm, sleeping face. He thought of what he had said. That Achilles had brought himself to this point just to forget what happened. Hector hadn't expected him to think of it at all, really. He was clearly mistaken though.

Drowning in his own thoughts wouldn't help, he would have to wait until the morning for an actual answer so he took a thin blanket from the closet and went to the balcony to lie down on the divan.

Luckily, it was still summer and Hector didn't have to worry about the cold outside. The divan was a little small for a grown man to sleep on comfortably but he would have to settle for one night.

He didn't know if what happened today was process or not, but it was definitely something. Where was this all even going? He wondered before he fell asleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So...Did Achilles just make a confession or were those simply the words of a drunk man? You tell me...


	7. Smile, Look Pretty

When Hector woke up, there was already an unpleasant soreness on his back from sleeping curled on the divan all night.

"Where is Hector?" He heard a voice and then a groan. "I don't know." The second voice grumbled. As his mind began shaking off the daze of sleep, he realised that it was his father talking to Achilles, who did not seem to be in a mood for conversation one bit.

When someone, presumably Priam, shook his shoulder, Hector forced himself to open his eyes. "Why in the name of the gods are you sleeping here." Priam whispered almost frantically. "What?" Hector muttered, still trying to come to full consciousness. "Why are you out here and not in that bed?" Priam asked again, his whisper now becoming more demanding. "Because he's in the bed." Hector said, blinking slowly. "Exactly!"

"What do you want, father?" Hector asked tiredly, his hands rubbing the sleep away from his eyes. "For you to tell me why you are not sleeping in bed with your husband!"

Hector groaned. Not this again. "He is not my husband." He said. "Yet." Priam stressed the small word and Hector wanted to push him away but retained from doing so simply out of respect. For one to hear Achilles' groaning and his father's bickering first thing when they opened their eyes was a pleasant morning indeed.

"What happened to him?" Priam asked then, looking inside to the man who was still sleeping on the bed. "No, I didn't poison him." Hector grumbled, pulling himself up to sit on the divan. "You've better not to." Priam said, almost too seriously for just a small joke and Hector rolled his eyes. "He was drunk. I couldn't drag him all the way to his chamber so I put him there." He explained and Priam sat next to him on the divan, pushing the blanket aside. "So nothing happened?"

He would like to assume that his father meant otherwise but his implying tone made Hector turn to him sharply. "No, father! Of course not." He said, pulling the blanket more on his lap, his fists holding tightly onto it. "I was just asking." Priam said and Hector gave him a disbelieving look. It was like his father didn't know him at all. How did he expect him to bed a man he has known for only two days? He was not Paris.

It would have been so much easier if he was. Paris didn't much care, if one had enough charm and beauty on them, that was enough for him to bed them but Hector wasn't like this. He couldn't bring himself to do it, to allow Achilles to do that to him. The thought that he would have to in a matter of four days making him anxious. 

He wouldn't mind if it was a woman, not that much at least. But Achilles was a man, and Hector had never lain with a man before. He didn't know if it was as foolish of him to be as worried as he was. His father didn't seem concerned at all but then again, it would not be him who would have to shed his dignity along with his robes and let a man take him, so much more so that it was a man he did not love or even trust.

"Hector." His father tapped his arm. "Hm?" Hector looked at him. "I'm talking to you." Priam said but didn't wait for Hector to speak. "Go wake him up and come down." Priam said and got up with a quiet huff. "Oh and Hector?" He turned around again. "Yes?"

"Smile." Priam said pointing at his own smile and left. Hector sighed and looked down on the floor of the balcony. Smile, look pretty and keep your mouth shut. No one needs your opinion anyway. You just stand by your husband's side, support him and raise his children. These thoughts made his heart heavy and there is no one he could talk to about it. No one cared to listen.

Having no choice, he got up to his feet, forcing himself out of his sulking. He stood in front of Achilles on the bed who despite his interaction with Priam had fallen back asleep, his cheek pressed on the pillow with his golden hair sprawled on it and his mouth only slightly open as he lay on his stomach.

"Wake up." He said and shook Achilles' shoulder. "Achilles." He said, now louder. It seemed to finally work as Achilles began stirring. "Shut it." He mumbled angrily. Hector clenched his jaw. He had helped him yesterday and this was the thank you he got. In a fit of anger grabbed a pillow and slammed it on Achilles.

This seemed to be enough to wake the blond man from his slumber. Achilles jolted up and grabbed Hector who let out a surprised yelp as he was thrown down on the mattress. "What do you think you're doing?" He hissed, his hand grabbing Hector by the jaw. "I'm not-" Hector forced out, his hands going to Achilles' and that seemed to snap him out. He let go and got off Hector, now sitting next to him. "What is wrong with you?" Hector asked, glaring at him as he rubbed his jaw. "It's a reflex." Achilles said and Hector frowned. Having been to war so many times and being a seasoned warrior, Achilles was prepared for anything. Someone trying to attack him in his sleep was something one must be prepared for during war.

"Well, get rid of it. I don't want to get attacked every morning." Hector found himself saying, reminding them both how in a few days they were expected to share a bed. "Don't hit me with pillows then." Achilles said back. "Don't tell me to shut up."

"Fine!" Achilles said, turning away from him. "Fine." Hector said as well, leaving them in a heavy silence. As Hector was not looking, Achilles quietly got another pillow in his hands and with a swift, quick motion hit him with it. A huff was forced out of Hector and he glared at Achilles. "You little brat." He took the other pillow and hit Achilles with it. The man though didn't seem annoyed as he started laughing. 

"Why are you laughing?" Hector asked as he hit him again, making him fall back down on the bed. "You are adorable, all frustrated like this." Achilles said through his chuckles. Hector kept hitting him and Achilles kept chuckling, his arms in front of him, shielding him from the pillow. Hector found though that even though he really wanted to hit him and this was helping him take out his frustration, he didn't really want to hurt him.

When Hector finally stopped, Achilles pulled himself up, leaning back on his arms. "Did that help you?" He asked and Hector clutched the pillow closer to himself. "Yes." He admitted. Achilles huffed out a small laugh and got up. "Get dressed and come down." He told him and walked out of the room. Hector stared after him, watching as the door swung open and closed just as smoothly. 

Did Achilles just let him attack him with a pillow like that just for Hector to let his frustration out and make him feel better? Hector really wished he could get a glimpse of what was going on inside that man's head. He seemed so simple and so complicated at the same time, Hector didn't know what to do.

Peleus, Thetis and Priam were at the table, having already started their breakfast of fruits and freshly squeezed orange juice. They felt no need to wait for Hector and Achilles as they knew the two were together. Of course, Priam had seen them but he hadn't been the one to talk. It was a young maid that had gone to Hector's chamber to inform him that breakfast would be served shortly that had seen him and Achilles.

"They were on the bed, sire-"

"All right, I think we know what you mean." Peleus stopped her with a knowing smile but the maid shook her head, as Thetis had expected. There was no way Hector was giving himself to Achilles until absolutely had had to, she was aware.

"They were...fighting?" The maid spoke with a lot of uncertainly, making all three on the table exchange worried glances. "Fighting? Peleus raised an eyebrow. "With pillows, sire." The maid said and Thetis visibly relaxed, Priam fought back a smile as Peleus kept staring at the maid before he started laughing. "Children." He exclaimed happily. "Let them be."

Hector hastily got dressed and went down the stairs to the main hall where breakfast was served once again. Everything had been cleaned, the table was back in its place and the only indications that a symposium had taken place last night was the lingering smell of the wine.

"Good morning." Peleus was the first to greet him with a smile. "Good morning, my lord." Hector said back with respectable nod towards the king but also the queen who returned the greeting the same way.

"Here." Priam said and pushed the plate of fresh fruit towards his son. Very shortly after Achilles was down as well, sitting beside Hector on the table. "Why do you look like that?" Peleus asked without looking at his son but they all knew who it was directed to. "I have a headache." Achilles said and Thetis, observant as ever, noticed the concerned glance Hector threw Achilles' way. "Why?" Peleus asked again. "You know why." Achilles said firmly, not in the mood for his father's teases. "Does your husband know why?"

"Peleus." Thetis quietly scolded but the sly smirk did not leave Peleus' face. Hector glanced down and saw Achilles' hand gripping the arm of the chair. "Yes, I know." He said casually, taking a small sip from his cup. He knew Peleus was referring to what happened the night before, that Achilles had gotten almost completely out for the count. To Hector, it was still odd and mildly unpleasant to be referred to as Achilles' husband, especially when he was right there and Peleus could have asked him in the first place but for some reason he had spoken up as so spare Achilles of his father's taunting that he was clearly not up for.

"Next time, you should stay with him. Keep him in line." Peleus said to Hector who did not speak. What could he even say? That he would promise to keep running after Achilles to make sure he did not do something foolish and inconsiderate like a parent with their children? He chose to remain silent instead. "Father." Achilles glared at Peleus. Hector hoped he had thought of the same thing. "Why don't you two go out today, there is a play later this evening. A friend of mine says it was rather good." Thetis quickly changed the subject and put on a smile.

Achilles then turned to Hector. "Sure." Hector said. They didn't really have anything else planned and hopefully the play would be entertaining and it would go better than the trip to the market. Hector hoped it would.


	8. The Play

At the walk to the theatre, Hector had the opportunity to take a better look at the more busy streets of Phthia. The buildings were all well maintained, and the roads were big enough for many people to walk on at the same time.

There were some that had donkeys with them that pulled wooden carts along. Most of the carts were full of the crops they had gathered from their workday on the fields. There were also shepherds, guiding their goats back to the barns with dogs barking behind them, all returning home after a tiresome day of work.

At times like this, Hector felt privileged that he didn't have to work every day on the fields under the burning sun just to make a living.

Others were sitting down on the rocks or the grass, talking or drinking. Most of them both. It seemed like it didn't matter what time of the day it was for the Greeks to drink. They loved their wine and were consuming it every hour of the day along with every meal.

The city was decorated with a lot of carpets, drapes and banners but also tall, brightly coloured statues, carved with fine details, much different than the golden ones of the gods they had in Troy, that many times lacked detail. Here, it wasn't just the gods but also heroes that were sculpted.

Walls were decorated with beautiful paintings that had vases with flowers on top of them and leaves of olive trees. Every few metres there were banners and flags with Phthia's signature symbol.

Besides the side from where the sea was, all around were beautiful mountains full of greenery that surrounded the city, with temples in the distance at every side Hector turned. A lot of temples, he noted. But then again, their queen was a sea nymph.

All in all, the city could be described as lively in one word. All these colours really gave the city life and made it more joyful in a certain way. As much as Hector wanted to complain about being there, he was grateful that Phthia was as much of a beautiful place as it was. Vibrant, with a lot of sunshine and full of life. At least there was a bright side to his captivity, and he wasn't locked up in a gloomy palace in some dark city.

Besides picturesque, Phthia was also a rich city. As he had seen the day before, there were a lot or merchants in the agora besides Markos, which meant that the trades by sea were safe. Unlike other cities, Phthia had a strict patrol of soldiers that guarded the ports from pirates.

Having seen them in battle, Hector didn't want to cross the Myrmidons as a soldier, much less as a pirate. How could these men live like this? He wondered. Living off the things they had stolen from someone who had worked hard for it. A complete lack of a moral compass, he believed, but once again there was nothing he could do and every person lived their life as they saw fit. Except him, of course. He had to live the way others saw fit. He quickly stopped thinking about that, not wanting it to ruin his evening.

Along the way, Hector saw a couple sitting down on the grass. Two boys that couldn't be more than in their late teens. The one had a baby in his arms that they were both looking at, cooing and softly caressing the little one's fine brown hair.

"You will have your own soon." Achilles said from next to him, having noticed how Hector was looking at the baby. "I suppose I will." Hector said, looking away from the couple. Maybe a baby wouldn't be that bad, a little one all for him to shower with love and adoration. It was the process of how the baby would get here that Hector still had not come to terms with.

"You know, you should talk more." Achilles began as the two walked side by side. "And say what?" Hector asked. Achilles shrugged. "I don't know, a whole life a long time to spend in silence."

"You could talk, I am sure you have a lot to say. Men like you always do." Hector said as he looked around. He could hear Achilles laughing by his side. "Men like me?" He asked but he didn't sound offended. "Yes. Men who like to boast about their achievements. The ones who like to be vaunted for everything they do." Hector spoke so freely as his eyes wandered and Achilles turned to him sharply. He was amused by the boldness but also slightly irritated. To him, it was like Hector was looking for trouble.

"I do not boast. And everything I have, I earned it." Hector smiled at Achilles' tone. It was defensive and that was precisely what Hector had wanted to achieve. To make him feel called out, to taunt him like Achilles did to him. "I am sure you did." He said, his voice holding no sarcasm even though Achilles knew it was full of it and it was absolutely driving him mad.

"I should just leave you here." He threatened. "You should. Maybe I'll even find my way back to the ship!" Hector chuckled. "Or worse, someone could find me and be kind enough to offer me a place to stay."

"Look who came out of their shell." Achilles marvelled, looking at Hector with widen eyes. "I didn't know you had it in you, prince of Troy. I was wondering for how long you'd be quiet." Achilles taunted. Hector was indeed quiet, he didn't know what made such defiance rise up all of a sudden.

"Now you better go back to being quiet or I'll put you in the brig that ship myself." He growled lowly and Hector's eyes widened with surprise. "One can have no fun with you." Hector said. "We are sure to have a wonderful time together." He said carelessly. This time he wasn't afraid of Achilles' anger. He knew that the man would not attack him right there in plain sight where everyone could see them. "And we don't have brigs on our travelling ships, you savage." Hector muttered.

Achilles glared at him, both for the comment but also for what he had said. He was slightly surprised. What fool didn't have a prison cell on their ship? Apparently Hector. "Savage." Achilles huffed. That was a new one. Something was telling him he was sure to get some more of those nicknames, if you will, from Hector.

Thankfully, he theatre was not far away and this dreadful conversation would not have to continue for much longer.

"If the play is about Troy, I swear to all the gods I am leaving." Hector stated. Apparently, plays about Troy's fall were quite popular in Greece. About the war, about the potential fall and about what would happen to the Trojans after. Hector dreaded it. How could they be entertained by such things? But then again, Hector had stopped trying to understand everything a long time ago. If he hadn't, he would have gone mad by now. Though with Achilles as his husband, he was starting to think he'd go mad anyway.

"It's not about Troy, Hector." Achilles assured. As hard as he was being on Hector, he would not do that to him and he could see the visible relief. Truthfully, he didn't know what the play was about. It was Thetis who sent them so he trusted that it had nothing to do with Troy unless his own mother was trying to sabotage him, which he was certain was not the case.

The theatre was almost full. Achilles and Hector sat back, where it was less crowded and they didn't need to be squeezed not only next to strangers but also to one another. The play started shortly and the actors began emerging at the large, circular part of the theatre that was called the orchestra. The actors were wearing colourful costumes and exaggerated masks made of linen that carried smiling and leering expressions. A comedy then.

The play centred on the god Dionysus, who journeys to the underworld with his much smarter slave, Xanthias. Dionysus was unhappy with the low quality of contemporary theatre, and was planning on bringing the playwright Euripides back from the dead. As the ferryman Charon rowed Dionysus to the underworld with Xanthias forced to walk, a chorus of frogs appeared and repeatedly chanted sounds that were supposed to resemble a frog's ribbit. Dionysus and Xanthias then have a series of misadventures, during which they alternately claim to be Heracles.

The play was halfway through. Hector was leaning forward, elbow on his thigh and his hand supporting his head. The play was well written and light-hearted, something that should have been able to take his mind off of everything going on in his life but it didn't. It just didn't pique his interest. What else could they have watched though? A tragedy perhaps. It would show Hector that there were worse things that could happen to him. Oedipus was what they should have picked. As if Hector didn't have enough drama in his life already.

He curiously glanced over his shoulder at Achilles, seeing him leaning back against the stone and almost about to fall asleep. With a small sigh, he looked back ahead and leaned behind so he too could be against the stone.

The actors trying to imitate frogs, the loud shouting and the music were not doing any good to his hangover. Achilles would be lying if he said he wasn't there just for Hector. When the prince slumped next to him though, looking about as bored as he was, he made his suggestion. "Why don't we go?"

Hector shifted slightly so he could look at him. "Go where?" He asked and Achilles glanced behind them. "Out of here." He said, only now noticing how close their faces were. He could almost make out his reflection in Hector's dark eyes and he could see the fine lines of worry on his forehead creasing when Hector frowned. "No. It's rude." He said firmly. Achilles rolled his eyes. "Come on, they don't even know who we are and there are over a thousand people here. No one will even notice." Achilles did have a point. He wasn't there as the prince of Troy, he could leave and no one would have any reason to judge.

"Fine. But only when there is a break." He ceded, though he still believed it rude to leave while the play was still going on. "All right." Achilles agreed and it did feel like a small victory.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope I gave a better image on their surrounding and at the relationship between the two starting to develop. Hey, at least they are talking. So, did Achilles said they should leave because he was bored or because he saw that Hector wasn't having the best time either? Maaaaybe the latter. Progress, as Hector would say.


	9. Tamer Of Horses

When the play finally took a break and chattering broke all around them, Achilles and Hector slowly took their leave. Hector followed Achilles closely, walking but a couple of steps behind him and closed the distance when they had walked a little further down the road.

"Where are we going?" Hector asked, his hands behind his back and his eyes on the blond man next to him. "Where do you want to go?" Achilles asked him even though to Hector it seemed like he was already leading them somewhere. "I don't know, what are the options?"

"The stables, the dungeons." Achilles said casually and Hector made a face at his sense of humour. Achilles stopped talking then, glancing at him with a smile Hector didn't like one bit. "My chambers." Achilles said, smirking knowingly. "Gods." Hector groaned in disdain. "Is this all you think about?"

Achilles laughed. "Most of the time. Can you blame me?" He said said. The deep frown on Hector's forehead remained there but Achilles could swear he saw the prince's cheeks blushing. Maybe that was the reason he turned his head away so quickly.

"But anyhow. You will see where we are going." Achilles changed the subject. "Can't you give me a clue?" Hector bargained and Achilles raised an eyebrow, thinking about what the clue should be without giving away too much. "It stenches." He made a face and Hector looked at him with confusion. Achilles wouldn't give him anything else though and they walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached an open space.

There was a wooden fence there and as they came closer, Hector could see the horses. His excitement was almost childish and he did his best to keep it down but he was certain there was a big grin on his face. "How did you know?" Hector asked, glancing at Achilles before looking back at the horses.

"Well, I had a little bird tell me that you are particularly fond of horses." Achilles shrugged and Hector laughed knowingly. "Is this bird old and grey?"

"Maybe. But I am afraid you will not be able to find them, it is not only one." Achilles said as they reached the fence. Hector was known for his skill at taming horses all throughout Greece but apparently, humble as he was, he did not seem to be aware of it.

"Cousin." A deep voice came and both men turned around. Hector looked up at the huge man that blocked the sun from shining in his eyes. It was the king of Salamina, mounted on a horse equally big and full of muscle that towered over Hector. Just like Heracles himself, the Trojan prince thought as he stared at the king.

"Ajax." Achilles greeted as Ajax dismounted effortlessly despite his tall build. "Hector." The man smiled. "My lord." Hector gave a respectful nod. "Ah, non of that now. You are family!" Ajax beamed, giving a particularly rough pat on Hector's back that made Hector's breath come out with a huff, followed by a small chuckle. Gods, he really would be their family. Even if he didn't feel like it.

"And I was wondering where you rode off to!" Another voice called and a horse galloped towards them, stopping close to where Ajax's horse was and the king of Ithaca dismounted, now standing next to Ajax who made him look rather small in comparison.

"My lords." A young, stable boy with messy long hair and a slightly dirty face and tunic bowed at them, taking the horses' reigns and tying them to the fence. Hector was the only one who acknowledged the boy with a nod. He did feel somewhat bad but he was used to it. Even back in Troy he was the only one who paid mind to the servants and the other staff of the palace which was only fair he supposed. Without them, what would become of the palace?

"Glad to finally see you out of the palace." Odysseus told Hector. He saw the way Achilles glared at him but Odysseus did not react, he kept looking at Hector who smiled. "Glad to be out."

Achilles' gaze turned to Hector as he leaned back on the fence, crossing his arms in front of his chest. Ajax put his hand on the fence next to him and leaned to the side as well. "I've heard they have some of the wildest horses here." Ajax said. "Found them in the mountains, they say."

"Is that so." Odysseus said. "Yes, yes. No one can tame them. Or at least until now." He looked among the three. A smile spread on his face and his eyes stopped at Hector. "You have quite the name, don't you?"

"Oh I-"

"What do you say to a challenge? Me and you, whoever tames one of these horses wins um..." Ajax trailed off, thinking about a challenge. "Achilles' love." Odysseus said, making heart eyes at Achilles. "Oh, get out of here." Achilles chuckled and Ajax laughed loudly, clasping Hector's shoulder. "Unfair, Hector is already in an advantaging position!" 

Hector smiled, he doubted what Ajax was saying. He though couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth behind their banter. If there was anything they saw that made the kings say those things.

"Well then, whoever loses cleans the palace for a whole day!" Odysseus beamed. "I'm in." Ajax was quick to say, offering Hector a hand to seal the deal. "If you are." The Trojan said and shook the king's hand.

"Come then!" Ajax started dragging Hector by the hand to the stables before he could react. Odysseus and Achilles turned around, now leaning on the fence from the front.

"Ajax is cleaning the palace." Odysseus chuckled as they looked at the big man leading the smaller prince by the hand with wide steps of his long legs that had Hector almost have to jog after him to keep up.

"I know." Achilles said, putting his foot up on the fence post. Odysseus turned to look at Achilles. Whether he was simply acknowledging the rumours of Hector's skill or if there was something else that made Achilles sound so confident, Odysseus didn't yet know. If there was someone who could figure it out though, maybe even before Achilles and Hector themselves, it would be Odysseus. He just needed to give it some time. To him, Achilles wasn't as difficult to read as for some others. He was complicated in a simple way and he decided in that moment, he would try giving Hector a hand on figuring his future husband out.

Once inside the stables, Ajax let go of Hector and walked down. Hector looked around at the horses. The stables were much bigger than the ones he had back at home but admittedly they were not all that well kept. Not but either, but Hector could picture them better. Perhaps one day he could talk to Achilles about renovating.

He stopped himself right there. Why was he even making plans for the future with Achilles? He shook his head, forcing the thought out.

"Bring us the most untameable stallions you have!" Ajax commanded at the young stable boy. "B- but my lord-" The boy stammered. "What, do you not think we are fit for this kind of task, boy?" Ajax raised his eyebrow. "I-" The boy kept staring up at him for a moment and then lowered his head. "Right away, sire."

The boy talked to two other men, a tall one with short hair and a young one with a big scar on his cheek. "I hope you enjoy your time cleaning floors, cousin." Ajax laughed, bumping his shoulder to Hector's. "We'll see." Hector smiled back, equally challenging. The two men led two very defiant horses out to the field and put them inside the fenced part. Once they were free, the horses started running circles on their confined space. Hector never minded it but now, seeing them trapped, they reminded him of himself. Just like one of those horses, no matter how much he fought them, he would never be able to be free again. He too would be tamed.

"Why the long face? Having second thoughts?" Ajax teased, smirking at Hector as he walked past him. Hector shook his head, taking in a deep breath and focusing on the moment and once again forcing all these thoughts to the back. He followed Ajax out of the stables and saw him leaning on the fence, just like Achilles and Odysseus that were on the other side. "Much like you and Achilles, huh?" Ajax said without looking at him. Hector looked at the two horses. A white and a black one. Hector then turned to the king opening his mouth with the intention of asking what he meant but closed it again, deciding that he didn't want to know.

"Pick." Ajax said. Hector studied the horses. Ajax had been wrong, they were not like him and Achilles. The white one was calmer in comparison to the black one that was more aggressive. Or so Hector thought from the first glance. The more he looked at them though, he could see. The white horse might not be the more violent one, unlike Achilles, but then again it didn't seem to be threatened. The black horse wanted to leave and was acting just like Hector would if there were no moral boundaries stopping him from lashing out like that. "The black one." He said and saw how the men that worked on the stables looked like him, like he was mad.

"Great. I will go first." Ajax said, unbothered by the looks of worry. "If I fall off the horse's back, it's your turn. If I manage to stay on, you take the white one and we are going for a ride. The one who stays on wins." Ajax explained the rules he had probably only now come up with as he hopped over the fence. "My lord, wait-" The young stable boy said, afraid that one of the horses may hurt Ajax but the king cut him off with a wave of his hand.

The two men got the white horse outside and Ajax got right to it. Hector almost couldn't look. The whole approach was wrong, Ajax was too fast, not giving the horse time to study him. The king ended up almost chasing the horse but in the end managed to get on its back. "Hah! You are cleaning the floors Hector!" Ajax exclaimed, his arm raised in the air in victory. Hector shook his head with disapproval and as he had expected, Ajax was thrown off the horse's back, hitting the ground. Luckily, he wasn't hurt. Only his pride.

"Your turn then, Trojan." Ajax said, getting up and dusting himself off in the meantime. Hector laughed, it was a little bitter. He did not miss how Ajax went from calling him cousin to calling him Trojan once he had lost but then again, he might be overthinking. His father would have certainly told him that he was. "Come on then, Hector. Show the fool how a man tames a stallion!" Odysseus beamed as Hector crossed the fence.

When Ajax came to stand next to the two men, Achilles turned to him. "You better hope he doesn't get hurt because of your stupid game." He said, brows pulled together and his tone threatening. He looked at Hector and the horse inside the fence, paying no more attention to Ajax who frowned questioningly and glanced at Odysseus who gave him a shrug, the look on his face though was knowing and he too turned to look at the new prince.

Unlike Ajax, Hector did not chase the horse around. He stood in the middle and let the horse run until it finally calmed. When it did, Hector slowly approached it, his hand raised in front of him, reaching towards the animal but not touching it. The horse made some sudden moves towards Hector but then back again.

Odysseus glanced down. Achilles's hands had a white knuckled grip on the fence, as if he was about to jump in at any moment. He wondered if Achilles really would. Was the horse to attack Hector, would Achilles go inside to help him and risk getting hurt? Odysseus looked up again and Achilles seemed as worried as his nervous hand movements indicated. If only Hector could see him now.

They watched that back and forth progress being made. Hector knew that process all too well, it took the patience that many lacked but in the end, it was always worth it. Maybe that's what he and Achilles were. Who was who escaped Hector. He was trying to approach Achilles but just like the wild horse, the man was pulling back but then again he too was just as frightened to be tamed, like the horse.

When his hand finally touched the horse's muzzle it felt different than any other time before. Maybe because of how much he had associated himself with it. "It's all right." He whispered, his hand gentle and careful the more the horse came closer to him until he finally got on its back. The horse shifted slightly but it did not try kicking him off and Hector leaned down to pet its strong neck.

Achilles sighed with relief, his hands finally relaxing as well as his no longer on edge posture. When Hector looked at him Achilles smiled back, and it was genuine. He didn't know what it was that he felt in the moment but the more he looked at the man, he realised it was pride.

"You were worried, were you not?" Odysseus asked. Achilles scolded his expression back to neutral quickly. "No." He said and Odysseus rolled his eyes. "You don't have to deny it, Achilles. The sooner you accept what you feel for him, the better for the both of you." That made Achilles look at him with a frustrated frown. "I do not feel anything for him." He whispered. Odysseus huffed. "Really? Why did you bring him here then?" He asked, eyes narrow and a challenging smile on his lips that left Achilles baffled.

"Hector, tamer of horses and lions." He said, his smile turning into a self satisfied smirk. "Bring the white horse here!" Ajax shouted at the men, interrupting Odysseus and Achilles' little conversation. "Make sure to stay on the horse this time, Ajax." Odysseus chuckled, walking past Achilles.

"He is mad." Achilles whispered to himself. He didn't have feelings for Hector. He couldn't. And even if he did, how would Odysseus know. Did he? What were even those feelings? It wasn't love for sure.

But what was it called when one really wanted someone to like them but at the same time enjoyed teasing them without actually meaning to hurt them. Achilles wanted Hector to think of him, to make sure he would be on the prince's mind all the time. For him to submit to him. But then again, he did not want Hector to fear him, as he came to realise. He did not want to be thought of as a chore whenever Hector thought of him. Maybe he was taking the wrong approach in this situation after all.

Hector was right to not know what Achilles wanted of him. Even Achilles himself didn't know.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Odysseus the matchmaker. Will he succeed on making those too fools finally get along and maybe even more? He will certainly try.
> 
> Feelings and Achilles do not go together that's for sure. That was a really big chapter I hope y'all had a fun time reading and I'll see you again on Wednesday.


	10. Be Humble

"So now I have to clean the whole palace all by myself?" Ajax pouted, the broom on the one hand and a washcloth on the other. "Don't forget that." Achilles brought him the bucket of water. "You are the worst cousin." He complained. Odysseus and Achilles were having a great time poking fun at Ajax for having to clean, but Hector not to much.

"I'll help you." He offered, taking one of the wash clothes from the shelf. "But you won." Ajax gave him a look and so did the other two men. Hector simply shrugged. "I don't have anything better to do. Neither does Achilles." He said, shoving another cloth to the man. "What, no. I don't clean." Achilles said, putting the cloth away. "There's a first time for everything, dear husband." Hector insisted, forcing the cloth in his hand. "Besides, this may help you gain a little more appreciation for the people working here." Hector said as he poured water in another bucket.

"But they are servants, it is their job. Princes don't clean." Achilles argued. "All right then, Ajax and I will clean and we will have a very good time doing so, will we not, cousin?" Hector asked the tall man, looking up at him. Ajax looked at him with a questioning frown but Hector only smiled. "I'm certain we will." Ajax played along, smiling right back. "Odysseus? Will you join us?"

Odysseus stared at them for a moment before shrugging. "Why not." He said, reaching for a mop. "Penelope will surely not believe it when I tell her this."

"You are all out of your minds. You especially." He pointed at Hector. "Maybe." The man laughed. He was the first one to walk past Achilles and the other two men followed him out of the storage room. Achilles stared after them. That man would be the death of him, he was certain. "Fools." He muttered, walking out and slamming the door behind him.

He angrily walked to his chamber, getting in and dropping to the bed immediately. What was this now? Hector and his new best friends? He wouldn't have that. This was not how this was supposed to be. But fine, if they wanted to clean floors then let them. Achilles threw the blanket over himself and tried to go to sleep. All he could think of was Hector and that foolish grin on his face whenever he had him on a spot where he had nothing to say. That self satisfied little smirk of his.

Achilles bet Hector was so happy now that he was free of him. Maybe Hector should marry Ajax, he was Achilles' cousin after all, what difference would it make? None to Achilles and Ajax could definitely made him happier. Good, Achilles told himself and tried to settle for that thought. He though found himself incredibly bothered by it, so much so as to say that it kept him from sleeping.

"Damn that man!" He shouted into the emptiness of his chamber and threw the blanket away from him, bolting up to his feet and out of the room, not even bothering to close the door, leaving it swinging behind him.

"Son? Where are you going?" Peleus asked when Achilles almost bumped into him in the hallway. "To clean floors." Achilles grumbled as he walked past his father without sparing him as much of a glance. "To clean..." Peleus muttered and then huffed. Hector was having an affect on Achilles faster than Peleus had thought he would.

The three men were in the main hall, Ajax had the broom and was working on the one side of the room and Odysseus with the mop on the other while Hector was knelt down next to the table, dipping the cloth on the bucket and using it to clean the wooden the furniture.

They were all so focused on what they were doing, none of them seemed to notice him. Achilles waited for Ajax and Odysseus to go out, moving further to clean the hallway from the main entrance to the hall before he walked until he was behind Hector and abruptly grabbed the washcloth form his hand, making him wince. "Gods, you scared me." He sighed when he looked over his shoulder and saw it was Achilles. "You always scare that easily or am I that frightening?" Achilles said, waving the washcloth down on Hector intentionally to spray the water on him.

Hector turned his head away just as the water droplets hit him. "I see you changed your mind." He changed the subject. "I did. I won't give you what you want." Achilles said. Hector got up, realising that he did not like the intimidating position they were in, of him on his knees like that and Achilles looking down at him. 

"And what do I want?" Hector asked, now face to face with the slightly taller man. "To be without me." Achilles said. Hector tried to grab the washcloth but Achilles took his hand further back, that way bringing Hector closer to him without him managing to get the cloth. "You don't want to give me a moment of peace, do you?" Hector asked, now incredibly close to Achilles who smirked. "No. You don't deserve it." He teased. The sheer determination in Hector's eyes softened a little but he still made another attempt to take the cloth. Achilles though wouldn't make it that easy for him.

"I'll give it to you if you do one thing for me." He said, lifting his arm up so Hector wouldn't be able to easily reach the cloth. "I'll just go get another one, I'm not doing anything for you." He said, still trying to reach for it even though Achilles would always it pull away in time. "Oh, really?" Achilles cocked his head a little. "Really." Hector insisted. In the heat of the moment, Achilles leaned forward and gave a chaste kiss to Hector's lips.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hector asked, taking a step backwards. "You don't have to pretend you didn't like it, prince. We are alone here." Achilles said with the same smirk he had right before he kissed him. "I didn't." Hector said firmly, grabbing the cloth now that Achilles was off guard.

Achilles chuckled as Hector walked away. "Sure you didn't" Hector turned around and looked at him his his brows furrowed again, just when Achilles had thought he wouldn't see that expression on Hector's face for a while. "You can't just do this without asking, I'm not yours to do as you please with."

"Fine, fine. I'll ask next time, you don't have to be such a blushing virgin about it." Achilles rolled his eyes. It wasn't that big of a deal to him, they were close and he just did it, he didn't think Hector would mind that much. He sighed, walking to Hector who was now standing in front of the big window, cleaning the vase there, having put the flowers it had inside aside.

With Achilles standing next him, Hector found himself trying to be even more focused on the vase, cleaning every curve, just to have something to do with his hands. "I didn't want to make you uncomfortable." Achilles spoke after a moment of silence. Hector sighed, shifting his attention from the vase to the sea outside the window, more to the left towards the direction of Troy. "No, it's all right. I overreacted, forgive me."

"I shouldn't have done that, I don't know why I..." Achilles trailed off and Hector turned to him. "At least you have the decency to apologise." He said, a small smile playing on his lips that calmed Achilles. "I might not be as bad after all, huh?" He bantered, Hector laughed. "Don't get ahead of yourself." He said and Achilles smiled. Even now, Hector's voice held no malice.

When he laughed, Achilles could see the sparkle in Hector's eyes. It was just so sweet. He found himself staring almost as if he was daydreaming, noticing how handsome Hector really was. He didn't have that intimidating look or aura many warriors had and maybe that was what was what captivated Achilles like that. Hector wasn't like any other man he had ever met. He didn't know what it was yet, but there was something different about him.

Hector was looking right back at him and for a moment Achilles wondered if he too was seeing things in him like Achilles was seeing in him. "Hector." He said, without really knowing what he wanted to say. "Yes?" Hector asked, stepping a little closer without noticing.

"There you are!" Odysseus' loud voice echoed throughout the hall and both men turned to look at him, Ajax right on his heels. "Oh, are we interrupting something?" The king asked, suddenly stopping his steps. "No, what is there for you to interrupt?" Achilles said, laughing the awkwardness off. 

"Oh, good." Odysseus said. Ajax walked past him and stood in front of Achilles. "Brought the bucket, take that cloth." He urged and Achilles did. "We have to clean those chairs." He said and left. Achilles was about to follow him when Hector spoke. "You were about to say something."

"Oh, I don't remember what I wanted to say." Achilles dismissed and left. Hector looked at him in something that could only be deciphered as disappointment mixed with disbelief. It was like Achilles was two different men. "What's wrong?" Odysseus asked with concern, seeing the obvious distress painted all over the young prince's face.

"It's nothing." Hector said and turned around, going back to cleaning around the window. "Hector." Odysseus persisted. "I can't understand him, I can't." Hector muttered, full of frustration. "I don't know what he wants from me, I don't know what to say or how to act around him." He kept him as he cleaned the window sill aggressively. "I can't spend the rest of my life like that!" He whisper shouted, throwing the cloth to the window. "Calm down, just take a deep breath." Odysseus said, breathing in through the nose and letting it out from the mouth, instructing Hector to do the same.

"Thank you." Hector said after a couple of deep breaths. "You're welcome." Odysseus responded. "Do you want to tell me what happened now?" He asked and Hector glanced at him. "He kissed me." He said, pausing momentarily and watching Odysseus' surprise. "Then he was...very unlike himself. Acting almost like a normal person, I'd say." He commented and Odysseus chuckled. "He was about to say something but then you and Ajax came in and suddenly he went back to being a- a-" He stuttered, not accustomed to using curse words, struggling to find a way to express exactly what he wanted to say.

"I know, I know." Odysseus kept chuckling, thankfully understanding what Hector meant. "You know, my friend, not all men are like you." Odysseus said and Hector looked at him with a desperation the king didn't like one bit. "Some are not used to caring for someone." Hector huffed, looking out the window but Odysseus continued. "Achilles can't figure out what it is that he feels. Why he needs you to like him, to give him that reassurance. I suppose teasing you like that is a way for him to get closer to you, even though it's not really working as I see." He said, leaning back to the sill as Hector stared out the window. "He only does it to you."

"One more reason to believe he doesn't like me." Hector said. "Have you not heard a word I said, friend?" Odysseus chuckled again, shaking his head to Hector's oblivion. Hector didn't respond, Odysseus hoped that meant he was thinking about what he had just told him.

"Kill it, Ajax. Kill it!" Achilles said, his tone urging and both Hector and Odysseus looked at the other two men. "What in the gods..." Odysseus muttered as they stared at them. Ajax was crouched under the table while Achilles was at the other side, looking all fidgety. 

"What happened?" Hector asked, kneeling next to Ajax but looking at Achilles. "Here." Ajax tapped his shoulder and Hector looked under the table. "Oh that?" Hector said, very unbothered. When Hector got up again, his hands were in front of him, one closing the other, cupping something inside. "What is it?" Odysseus walked to him but Achilles remained unmoving.

"Just a spider." Hector showed it to Odysseus who made a face and a noise to express his dislike of the tiny creature in Hector's open palm. "Just kill it already." Achilles said urgently, still away from them. "Why would I do that?" Hector looked at him. "What if it bites you?" Achilles asked and Hector looked down at the spider. "It won't bite me, I'm not hurting it." Hector said and to Achilles it was almost unsettling how sure he sounded as if the spider had told him. "Don't tell me you're afraid of a little spider."

Achilles frowned. "Of course not." He said. "Oh gods, you are." Hector laughed, angering Achilles. "Give it here." He said firmly. "Achilles, no." Ajax said, knowing of his cousin's fear of inspects. "Give it, I said." Achilles insisted, standing right in front of Hector. "All right." Hector said and opened his palm, placing the spider on Achilles'. "If it crawls up, I'm killing it." He said. "No, you're not." Hector warned.

Achilles didn't speak, his eyes were fixed on the spider, moving its legs up and down slowly. Achilles had a determined look on his face that was mixed with agony. Hector thought that he might have enjoyed watching him suffer like that but now, he didn't really know if he did. "Gods, take it before he faints." Odysseus said, Achilles obviously was trying to play strong in front of Hector which only further proved Odysseus' point. 

"I'm fine." Achilles assured, glaring at Odysseus. "But I should take it anyway." Hector smiled, taking the spider from Achilles' hand. The spider had been so small but once it was off him Achilles felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Come with me?" Hector asked. "All right." Achilles agreed and the two left.

Achilles followed Hector out to the gardens where they stopped at a tree. "Look, it just wanted to go." Hector said as the spider left his hand and went up the tree. "Just like you." Achilles said, his arms folded over his chest. Hector sighed, his eyes fixed at the tree trunk. He had lost track of the spider now. "Why did you do it?" He asked. "What?"

"Why did you insist on holding the spider? You clearly didn't want to." Hector looked at him, his shoulder leaning on the tree. "I'm not scared of a spider." Achilles scoffed but Hector kept looking at him with the same, unmoved look. "What do you want me to say? That I did it for you?" Achilles looked at him.

"Maybe." Hector said and it caught Achilles off guard. "Well I didn't." He said. Hector rolled his eyes. "Keep this up, see where it gets you." He said, sounding irritated though he looked more disappointed than annoyed. "Hector." Achilles called when Hector turned to leave. "What?"

Achilles bit the inside of his cheek, staring at the ground. "I did it for you." He admitted, his head lowered but he could see that Hector came closer. The Trojan didn't speak, he leaned closer and kissed Achilles' cheek making the man look up at him with blue eyes full of surprise. "I-" He was about to speak but Hector stopped him. "Don't ruin it." He said and gave Achilles a smile before he left.

The Greek stared after him, watching him walk up the steps of the patio gracefully, airily almost. He was almost like a forest deity, treating the spider so carefully and refusing to kill it, offering to help Ajax even though he had won, being patient as he was with Achilles and so in tune with his surroundings at the garden. Achilles wondered if that man had a mean bone in his body.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for posting so late but it's still Wednesday as I promised so I guess I'm on time, I hope this chapter was worth waiting for. Also, sorry to whoever is afraid of spiders that had to endure this but don't worry, so am I and Achilles, you're not alone.


	11. Ávyssos

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Find a quiet spot, preferably dark, play that song https://youtu.be/SXpnI52cLEc  
> and enjoy the creepiness of this chapter

Hector didn't know how to feel about what he had done. Why had he even kissed Achilles, he didn't know. It just happened, maybe it was because of what Achilles had said. He couldn't lie, it had been pretty flattering to hear that Achilles challenged his fear of spiders just for him. But still, Hector did not go around giving kisses to anyone who did something for him.

It was just a peck on the cheek to acknowledge Achilles' effort, he told himself and like many other things, he tried not to think about it anymore and just go to sleep. He was thankful when sleep finally took him but that didn't last long.

It was deep into the night when his mind decided to start playing games on him. This time, he didn't think of Troy, or of Andromache but instead, the tall blond man was the main figure in his dreams. They were in the main hall by the window, just like it had happened the day before. He was looking at Achilles, deep into his blue eyes that looked so much like the ocean, so beautiful yet so terrifying and Achilles was looking right back at him.

Hector didn't know why, but his heart was beating fast, like he was nothing but a foolish schoolboy with a crush. He wanted to touch him, but he feared that his hand might burn if he did. They were so close yet so far and it was so frustrating Hector wanted to shout.

"Hector." Achilles whispered, his voice low and velvety, dripping like warm honey on Hector's skin. So close, they were too close. Hector reached his hand up, he was trembling. He touched Achilles' cheek and the man leaned into his touch, just like the tamed horse and for a moment he briefly wondered if he had finally done it. If he had really tamed the lion.

Until everything vanished. The floor opened and Hector was falling, reaching for Achilles but the man simply stared at him as he descended down to the void, empty of any light until his back hit the ground. There was nothing around him and as much as he didn't want admit, he was scared. He was all alone. He hated being alone.

Wrapping his arms around himself, he started walking. He didn't know where he was going but he had that unsettling feeling one got when something was telling them that this was the wrong way and that something bad would happen. Wherever he turned, there was darkness. No light to be seen. The silence was frightening but so were the distant voices that started murmuring unintelligibly.

"Hello?" He whispered but his own voice echoed in the emptiness. He could hear singing then. It was ominous. Distant and it was coming from all around him. A lament that sent shivers down his spine. His breathing was unsteady, shaky and too loud for his own ears despite the murmurs and the singing around him. His hands were digging into his arms as they were wrapped around him.

As he looked around in despair, he saw a small beam of light in the horizon. It was warm and playing in the darkness, like it was coming from a torch and Hector reluctantly walked to it. The closer he got, the more the mist around him started to thicken and he could finally make out a cloaked figure that was holding the torch, their back turned to him.

"At last." The voice spoke. It was a feminine one that Hector would recognise anywhere. "Cassandra?" He whispered but the woman did not turn around. Maybe it was better that way. Seeing her, especially in the dark, always disturbed Hector. Despite finally not being alone, her presence did not feel comforting, it never did.

Cassandra started walking and Hector hesitantly followed her. When he looked down, he saw Troy at night like he was watching from the sky, stepping on a glass that separated him from his home. "Where are we going?" He asked, now a little more urgently but his sister kept leading him somewhere, deeper into the city. She didn't answer to him but Hector saw the way the torch trembled in her hand.

"Let me hold it." He offered and Cassandra stopped walking, extending her arm without looking at him, the hood of her black cloak covered the sides of her face and Hector didn't dare to go to the front to look at her, he just took the torch and kept walking with her, by her side just one step back.

"Child...Give me your torch. You do not hold it straight. You move so wildly." Hector winced even heard the whisper so close to him he could almost feel the breath of the woman speaking on his nape. He quickly turned around, the fire of the torch making a half circle in front of him before it went on to burning on its place again.

"Mother?" He asked, sounding almost breathless. His expression a mix between fear, shock and an odd sense of relief but Hecuba remained unfazed, unmoving. Hector shuddered, making the realisation that his mother could not be there. She wasn't real. She was gone. She had been for a long time now.

Hecuba reached out, her brown eyes never leaning her eldest son's as she stepped closer. She did not touch him, not even his hand, frozen as it was in it's place. She took the torch from his hand carefully. "Your sufferings have never taught you wisdom." She said and took a step back. Neither of the two women moved and suddenly Hector felt trapped. From behind him, his mad sister and from the front his dead mother while the endless abyss surrounded them.

Hecuba finally looked away from him, sighing as her eyes trailed to the floor, that surface of glass that they were standing on that overlooked their city. Her blank expression saddened then, only making Hector feel more unsettled. "This marriage needs no songs, but only tears." She said, her hands folding in front of her, barely visibly from the long sleeves of her black tunic that covered her whole, almost like it was swallowing her, nothing like the mesmerising dresses she used to wear.

Her head was wrapped in a headscarf with her grey fringe wildly over her forehead, not styled beautifully like it used to be and her face bare of any life, cheeks void of their rosy colour and no smile on her lips. Nothing like Hector remembered.

Her face looked like it was dirty from ashes and the thought of it being from the fire that burnt her corpse crossed Hector's mind, making the sheer sense of fear crawl up his whole body. He never thought he would be scared of his own mother, but there he was.

He didn't trust himself to speak, to ask her what she meant. Was this an omen, that he should not marry Achilles? Were they warning him? Why now? Why?

"Mother. Be glad, for he is marrying a king." Cassandra spoke, her tone eerie and mysterious just as her presence and even though Hector was not looking at her, he could feel that she was now standing right beside him. "They sent him to him. And if he shrinks away, they shall drive him with violence." She said, almost as if she was explaining that Hector was not there because he wanted to be. "His marriage shall bring peace, after the bloody one of Helen's."

Their mother kept looking away, confused and hurt like she was trying to understand. Hector felt his eyes pool with tears at the sight of her. All his fear mellowed. He wanted to go to her, be in her embrace again after so many years apart but he couldn't, there was something holding him back, wildly shouting at him not to move. Maybe it was his inner conscience that kept reminding him that he had seen her burn in the pyre.

"Hector." Hecuba said, the same look still on her face but now she looked at him in the eye. "Beware of the Greeks, even if they bring you gifts." She warned and suddenly the ground burnt. No, it was not the ground. It was Troy and it was burning right below is feet. He looked down and saw his people screaming and running panicked around the streets. He could hear their agony and it was deafening.

He didn't know what to do. He looked at his mother but she turned away so he turned to look at his sister. When she looked at him, finally revealing herself, her eyes were lifeless and blood was pouring from a deep cut on her throat. Hecuba came to stand next to her daughter, her face burnt and almost melting away slowly. "Oh Gods!" His hand covered his mouth and he started stepping backwards from the both of them.

"Hector!" A loud voice echoed above all the screams Hector turned around where he saw Achilles. He was wearing his armour, sword in hand and he seemed to be searching for him. In a rush of relief but also panic, Hector ran to him, not turning around to look at his mother or sister. He ran as fast as he could to put distance between them.

Achilles met him halfway, throwing his sword aside to wrap his arms around Hector who almost jumped to his embrace. "I'm here, I'm here." Achilles whispered, stroking Hector's hair comfortingly. "They were dead. She- she was burning." Hector cried, Achilles kept him close as he trembled.

All other noise faded away slowly as Hector began to calm down, he could no longer see the light of the fire behind his closed eyelids. There was only him and Achilles in the middle of nothing. Holding each other, his arms a like a protective wall that would keep Hector safe and away from all harm and pain, from his fear of disappointing and being all alone. From everything that frightened him. Hector's breath echoed in the depths of nothingness.

Hector violently jolted awake from his nightmare. Covered in a thin layer of cold sweat, he looked around his chamber. The sun was shining from outside and the birds were chirping but Hector was still trembling. His shaky hands brushed through his curls. He threw the blanket away from himself and walked to the balcony.

There, he looked out of the window, once again towards Troy even though he couldn't see his beloved city. He couldn't shake off what he saw in his nightmare. The fire and the screams. His mother and sister. He took his eyes away from the sea and looked over Phthia before he decided to look down at the courtyard.

Some maids were out in the gardens, watering the flowers and plants. Right on the pathway in between that led to the gates was Achilles, talking to a man with shoulder length black hair. They didn't seem to be in deep conversation. Achilles had one hand on his hip and the other above his eyes, shielding them from the bright sun.

Like a maiden, Hector leaned on the ledge and looked down at the man with a small smile on his face. Achilles had saved him in that horrid nightmare of his and he couldn't help but wonder what that meant. What it could be. He thought of that moment back at the great hall when Achilles kissed him and then at the garden.

Looking around as his friend talked, Achilles' eyes landed on Hector. When the man saw that he was looking at him, he turned away quickly and Achilles couldn't help but chuckle at the shyness. Two days ago, it would have probably made him roll his eyes. He didn't know what exactly changed but that drastically changed.

Thinking that it was foolish and that Achilles had obviously seen him, Hector looked again, trying to play careless and that he didn't mind that Achilles had seen him. Glancing and hoping that Achilles was no longer looking, they locked eyes again. This time, Achilles smiled at him and raised his hand as to greet him. Hesitantly, Hector greeted him back.

"Come down!" Achilles said, gesturing at him to do so. Hector was slightly surprised. He didn't expect it, he hadn't thought Achilles would want to spend more time with him than what was required but there they were. He found himself with another foolish smile as he walked back to his chamber to get ready and go down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you have when you put a person with fear of abandonment with an emotionally unstable and indecisive person? Hector and Achilles. What do you think Hector's dream could mean?


	12. Chapter 12

When Hector walked down to the courtyard he found Achilles there with the other man. "Good morning." He greeted them. "Good morning, my lord." The other man greeted back, in a significantly good mood. "Morning." Achilles said.

"We're going to the ships, care to join us?" Achilles offered, looking at him. "Sure." Hector said, staying in the palace alone after that horrible nightmare was the last thing he wanted. "What will we be doing?" He asked, looking at the black haired man, for some reason sensing that he would be able to give a better explanation than Achilles.

"Oh, nothing tedious. Checking on the new loads that arrived, doing some work and then going fishing." The man explained, ending with a smile and putting his hands on his hips. Hector studied him as he talked. He knew him from somewhere and the more he looked at him the more he recalled. "You are...Eudorus, are you not?" He said, half stating half guessing.

"At your service." Eudorus said, giving a small bow and a smile, pleasantly surprised that Hector remembered his name. Hector had seen him by Achilles' side a lot of times during the war and the man had been there when the arrived from Troy, one of the guards that had made sure he and Priam safely arrived in the palace through the crowd that had gathered.

"I remember you from the war, a skilled warrior you are." Hector complimented, recalling Eudorus in the battlefield. "Oh thank you, my lord." Eudorus said gratefully. "No need to call me that, it's Hector." He corrected. He was weary of all this formality. There needn't be, just like the day in the market, he would rather be a simple civilian for the day rather than a prince. A mere fisherman for today.

"Let's go, you two." Achilles urged and Hector only briefly glanced at him, hoping that he wouldn't see that same possessive look he did when he had been talking to Markos and Achilles had decided to interrupt. He didn't, and he was very pleased by that.

The walk to the port was not bad, it was mostly Eudorus who talked. He told them about the new weapons they had traded with the kingdom of Crete, how the training of the army had gone and the trading routes of the ships. Something like a daily report but Eudorus seemed to be happy with his job. Hector let him and Achilles talk of those matters, he was simply observing.

The day was beautiful, full of sunshine that bathed the whole city. The greenery around them was very alive and the sea was a very pigmented deep blue that reflected the sunlight. The ships rocked gently on the waves and the port was very busy, probably because of the trades coming in, as Eudorus had explained.

The sound of seagulls was a prominent one and Hector inhaled the salty air of the ocean, feeling the wind graze his skin. It felt liberating, in a sense. Fresh. It reminded him of home. Of the beach of Troy that he used to ride along the shore of when he was younger, with Paris most of the time. It helped him forget about what he had seen in his nightmare. The beautiful scenery but also being surrounded by so many people.

Men were passing by them from all sides, yelling could be heard from the people working along with the crashing of the waves. "My lord, the new armour suits came in." One man stopped next to them, bowing before he spoke. "Thank you, Stavros. I will come for the inspection later." Achilles said. The man bowed again and left.

Eudorus was leading them somewhere, walking on the wood boards laid down on the sand until they stepped up on the wooden floor. There were barrels there and tools for fixing the ships. Spread all around the port were workshops that stood on thin wooden columns and fabrics acting as ceilings.

"I have to go take care of some things, do you want to come with me or... wander around or whatever you want to do." Achilles said, looking around and then at Hector again. The Trojan briefly considered his options. He could go with Achilles and be bored out of his mind or he could go check out the shops. He chose the latter.

"I'll be here somewhere." Hector said. "All right, don't be too long. If we want to go fishing, we have to do it before it gets dark." Achilles said and Hector nodded, taking off.

He didn't waste any time, starting to walk through the port and looking at the people working on the ships that were on land, repairing them or making new ones from scratch, same went for the boats.

Under a particular tent was a woman and Hector found that rather odd. It was unusual to see a woman working without a man around. Especially among so many men she probably didn't know. He hated that the world had to be like that for women while men got to roam around freely but it was just the way it was. Not that men were not in danger of being attacked, especially the ones who were smaller, with less muscle mass and height.

"Hello." He greeted as he stepped in the shade created by the fabric above. There was only a table and chair there but on the table were seashells spread out, a pot and thread. The woman winced, having not noticed him approaching.

When she looked at him, her eyes widened and she quickly bowed. "Oh, my lord! I was not expecting you." She said. "Of what service can I humbly be?" She straightened again, glancing up at him but not daring to keep eye contact. Her eyes were round and brown, her hair a dark shade of blond that was pulled behind in a messy ponytail and her skin tanned, probably from working a lot of hours under the sun.

"Telling me your name." He said. The young woman wiped her wet hands on her dress and kept staring down at the sandy ground. "Phaedra, your grace." She said, noticing how dirty her dress was and her worn out sandals. Not an appropriate way to be dressed in front of a prince.

"Bright, does it not mean that? Forgive me, I am still learning your language." He said with a smile as he walked to the table. Phaedra smiled shyly, nodding. "It does." She confirmed. Of course, Hector spoke Greek fluently, he had been taught the language since he was eleven but it was a way to make conversation.

"A lot of seashells you have here. What do you do with them?" He asked as the inspected the different kinds of seashells laid out on the table. "I make necklaces and bracelets, my lord." She said, coming to stand on the opposite side of the table. "Really? Do you have anything to show me?" He asked, eyes still at the seashells.

"Of course." Phaedra said and knelt down to drag a box from under the table and take some of the necklaces and bracelets out to show Hector. "Here are some of them." She said and put the other seashells aside to make space for the handmade jewellery.

"These are beautiful." He said as he inspected the necklaces and bracelets decorated with all kinds of seashells and pearls. "Do you make these yourself?" He looked at her. "With a friend of mine." She said, a small smile playing on her lips at the mention of her friend, whoever that might be and Hector knew that expression. He smiled back.

"Do you think prince Achilles would like something like that?" He asked and Phaedra thought for a moment. It sounded peculiar for him to address Achilles as prince. For him, he was just Achilles. "I don't know about the prince, but the queen loves seashells." Phaedra said.

"Oh, which one would she like? Maybe it will help me make a good impression as a son in law." Hector said, trying to imagine Thetis wearing any of those necklaces. "That one." She said and pointed to one made of small prickly cockle, pinkish shells and a spiral auger one in the middle.

"And what would you have me wear?"

"Hm..." Phaedra hummed, turning more to him and glancing between him and the necklaces. "That one." He said and gave him one with white cockle shells with small pearls in between. "Maybe you should get a matching one for husband." She suggested with a smile, taking another quite similar one.

"It's a deal then." Hector said and Phaedra's smile widened. "Take them, a gift for your wedding from a humble servant." She offered, handing out the necklaces to him. "No, no. I will pay you back. For your good work." He said and looked down at himself, he didn't have any money on him but he did have a bracelet that he took from his wrist. "Here." He passed it to her.

"Oh, no, my lord. This is so much more than what three necklaces are worth!" She said, looking down at the golden hoop on Hector's open palm. "Ah, well then how about you do something for me?" He suggested and the girl nervously looked up at him, suddenly hesitant but Hector kept his light tone. "How about you teach me how to make one of these?"

Phaedra suddenly relaxed, huffing out relieved chuckle. "Sure." She smiled. "Phaedra?" Another woman who just walked to them said. "I didn't know you had visitors, you naughty girl." She mocked her friend. When both Phaedra and Hector looked at her and she recognised the prince, her hand covered her mouth. "Forgive me, my lord." She said quickly.

"Pay me no mind." He chuckled, looking at the tall girl with the long red hair that was wet and slicked back. "Prince Hector asked if we could show him how to make a seashell necklace." Phaedra said and the redhead, surprised as she looked just shrugged. "Come along then, prince." She urged and walked away.

"Don't mind her, she is a little straight forward at times." Phaedra said and she walked away too with Hector following next to her.

He probably spent the rest of the morning with Phaedra and her friend, Melissanthi who proved to be great company. They taught him how to pick the best seashells and how to make necklaces, bracelets but also earrings. They asked him a lot of questions after he had ensured them that they could get rid of the formalities and the titles, about the palace, the queen, all the kings, Achilles and Troy. In those hours he found himself telling stories of the war as the two girls listened to him, indulging on every word of his while they all worked on drilling holes on the shells and putting them through the thread. 

The girls also told him about their daily lives and how they started their small shop but also about the relationship between them. Hector had seen it coming. He could see the way Phaedra looked at Melissanthi. He used to look at Andromache like that, a long time ago. He wondered if he would ever look at Achilles the same way. If he would ever love him just as much.

"And what if you want to ever go back?" Melissanthi asked and recieved a look from Phaedra but she kept her green eyes on the necklace she was making, waiting for Hector's answer. "I have made my choice, to come here. There is no ship that can bear me hence." He said with a small shrug.

"This is quite sad, really." Phaedra said, her thin brows pulled together in a sorrowful frown. "You had to leave it all behind to save your people. You must care about them a whole lot." She added. "I do. I wouldn't be here if I didn't." He said, passing a seashell to her that he thought fit better with the necklace she was making.

"Think about it that way, when Achilles takes the throne, Hector will be the prince consort, and we all know it is queens and prince consorts who really control the kings. This city will be a place sent to Greece by the gods." Melissanthi said, her brows raised as she imagined Phthia as an idyllic place to leave in, where everyone was at peace under the rule of a wise and just king, or prince consort.

Hector huffed. "I would hate to ruin it for you, but Achilles does not much listen to me." He said but Melissanthi didn't seem bothered in the least. "Oh, that is nonsense! He will listen to you, he give him a little time so he can see clearly what is there in front of him." She said, her hand reaching into the pot to take another shell.

Hector looked at her for a long moment, wondering what exactly about him made them both believe he was so great. Why Odysseus and Ajax approached and befriended him, why his mother in law wanted to push him and Achilles to spend more time together and why his father in law's gaze was always so approving. What that change in Achilles meant. Why he couldn't accept what he was feeling.

He suddenly felt a little saddened, for some odd reason. He thought of his friends back in Troy, Lysander and Tecton. He wished he could talk to them and wondered if he would ever have the chance to do that again. It had been almost thirteen days he was gone, ten days on the ship and three at Phthia but he was already feeling homesick. Being with Achilles so much, spending time with his in laws, making new friends and meeting new people, it all seemed like he was starting a new life and leaving everyone else behind. He didn't want that.

Phaedra and Melissanthi reminded him so much of Briseis and Andromache it almost hurt. He thought about what they could be doing. If they missed him like he missed them. "What are you thinking about?" Phaedra asked. "It's prince stuff, Phaedra, you wouldn't understand." Melissanthi bantered and the three of them laughed. Truly, Hector thought sadly, Phaedra would not understand.

When Achilles was done with everything he had to do, he left Savros' tent along with Eudorus and hoped that Hector would not have gone far and he wouldn't have to search for him through the busy port.

He should not have been surprised when he found Hector on the beach a little further down with two girls, sitting down on the wet sand making necklaces. It was something Achilles had the feeling he would do and indeed there he was. He may have only started to get to know Hector three days ago but he already felt like he could tell what he would do and what he wouldn't. He didn't doubt that Hector could surprise him, but he believed he had begun to understand what kind of person he was. And he liked what he saw.

"Hector! Get yourself over here!" He shouted and got the attention of all three of them and some other people who happened to pass by who quickly returned back to their own business.

"Duty calls." Hector said and the girls chuckled. "It was nice meeting you." He told them as he got up and dusted off his tunic best he could. "Pleasure is ours." Melissanthi said, putting a hand to her heart as to show gratitude. "Are you sure you want me to keep this?" Phaedra asked, showing the bracelet on her wrist. "It suits you better than it suits me." He said and the young woman felt herself blushing. When Hector left, the two girls looked at each other and shared a particular look of excitement mixed with awe. Not everyone could say they spent their whole morning making necklaces with the prince of Troy, soon to be prince consort of Phthia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Valentine's day today. Ain't got nothing to do so let's stay were together and read Hector/Achilles fanfiction lol. Love ya'll thanks for reading!


	13. The Fishing Lesson

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for missing the update date I just wasn't feeling that inspired but yeah I rewatched Troy and saw the comments that want me to keep continuing this fic and got the inspiration I needed. Hope ya'll enjoy this chapter!

"What happened to your bracelet?" Was the first thing Achilles asked, doubting that Hector would be as careless as to get robbed in plain sight. Hector on the other hand was surprised Achilles had even noticed he had been wearing a bracelet. "I gave it to one of the girls." He said, letting his hand fall down again.

"Why, did you have a good time?" Achilles asked, his tone indicating something Hector did not like one bit. "Can you not?" He said, his expression falling and filling with a mix of exasperation and disappointment with the former in the forefront. "All right, I'm shutting it." Achilles said instead of pushing the matter for which Hector was grateful.

"Good, now look what I got you." Hector said, the smile returning to his face when he showed Achilles the necklace. "And before you throw it away, just pretend to be happy for a moment." He said before Achilles even got the chance to speak. "I wouldn't throw it away, Hector." Achilles said, slightly irritated that Hector believed he would do that but then again, he had given him every reason to believe that he would.

"Anyway, do you like it?"

"I do." Achilles said. He could lie to Hector all he wanted but he couldn't lie to himself, he found it nice that Hector had brought this for him. He didn't have to, yet he did. Hector reached up them and passed the necklace over Achilles' neck, "It suits you." He said as he fixed it so it would be sitting nicely. Achilles smiled, looking at him. "You have good taste, then." He said and Hector looked back at him, his hands remaining on the necklace. They were close again and this moment felt surprisingly intimate and warm. Achilles hadn't had that in a long time.

"The fish won't wait for you two!" Eudorus shouted. He had already pushed the boat to the sea and was on it, paddle in his hand. "We should go." Hector said and was the first one to go. Achilles sighed as he looked at him take Eudorus' hand and get up on the boat. He didn't know what he was feeling. And he didn't like that. He didn't like that Hector was making him feel things he had felt for no other.

The day was hot and many others had gone fishing. There were a lot of boats sparsely spread throughout the blue surface of the sea. For one to fish successfully, they had to he patient as it too a lot of time.

Hector glanced to his left. Achilles was sitting with his hands behind him, head thrown back and feet in the water, taking in the warmth of the bright Greek sun. How would he be so calm, Hector wondered. It was like their situation didn't bother him at all. Maybe it was better that way, he decided. His eyes stopped at the seashell necklace he had gotten him, reaching his prominent collarbones. He hadn't lied, it really did suit him.

From his other side sat Eudorus, his long black hair now pulled back into a low ponytail. The wooden fishing pole attached to the rope and hook was in his hands, unlike Achilles who had put it aside as he would rather sunbathe than fish.

Had anyone told Hector that the war would end so abruptly and he would found himself in Greece, fishing with the deadliest of Greek warriors, about to be married to one he would have called them mad. But here he was, in between the two men. "Now we just wait?" He asked Eudorus. "Yes, it takes some time for the fish to latch on to the hook." The man explained and Hector nodded.

"In silence, preferably." Achilles intervened and Hector glared at him. All he needed to do was give him a shove and he'd be flailing to get out of the water like a cat, Hector was sure. He wondered if lions were like that, maybe he should check.

"How long does it usually take?" Hector asked, just to annoy Achilles by talking. "I didn't take you for the impatient type, prince of Troy." Eudorus laughed. "It depends on the current, we may be here for hours." He proceeded to explain. "Oh worry not, I am quite patient. I can stay here all day." He said, intentionally dragging out the words of his last sentence and leaning towards Achilles. The man opened his blue eyes and looked at the brunette prince who was looking away from him, staring off to the horizon. He knew what Hector was doing though, and two could play this game.

He thought about what he should do. It would be such a pretty sight to see the prince all hot and flustered. Pulling more open or lifting up his two piece light blue tunic wouldn't work on making Hector all hot and bothered.One more of his tricks that the Trojan seemed to be immune to and it drove Achilles out of his mind.

"Why don't you try, prince?" Achilles suggested and both men looked at him. "Do you even know how to fish? Or are you too much of a princess for that?" He taunted. No matter how good he tried to be, he enjoyed that look of frustration on Hector. "Of course." Hector said and Achilles smirked. Hector felt challenged and Achilles liked that. "Give me that stupid thing." He crawled over Achilles to grab the fishing pole he had on his left side, making the boat sway. "You want to throw us all in?" Achilles huffed out, grabbing onto the boat.

"Right, cats don't swim." Hector teased, looking at Achilles with a very satisfied smirk. The blond man's jaw dropped and his eyebrows shot up but the corners of his lips curled upwards in a surprised smile. From behind Hector, Eudorus was muffling his laughter with his hand in front of his mouth. "First of all, lion. Not cat." Achilles corrected in a matter of fact way. Had it been anyone else, Achilles would have been mad and would have thrown them off the boat without a second thought. Coming from Hector though, for some reason he was not mad or offended. "All right, prince." He cocked his head to the side, smirking right back at him. 

Hector crouched down over the bucket full of worms that would act as prey for the fish. The poor little things were wiggling, probably hopelessly trying to fight their way out of there. "Oh by the Gods, don't tell me you feel bad for the warm." Achilles groaned, his head rolling back on his shoulders. "Well, it is alive, is it not?" Hector said and Achilles wanted to ask him if he was serious but the look on his face told him that he was dead serious. Eudorus was also looking at Hector, his crystal blue eyes puzzled. Achilles locked eyes with him and in the moment what he mentally told his friend was that he could not understand Hector either.

"Fine, I'm doing it." Hector said and just put the worm in the hook without thinking about it too much. While Hector didn't understand why they found it so odd, Achilles and Eudorus wondered how this Hector could possibly be the same man who killed so many of their fellow Myrmidons in the Temple of Apollo back in Troy. War could really make beasts even out of the best men.

"Now, I just wait." Hector said, glancing at the two Myrmidons. It sounded like a statement and question at the same time. It though leaned more towards statement so neither of the Greeks spoke. Eudorus gave a nod and Achilles put his hands on his hips, looking at Hector in a way that was almost expectant. Even though the silence that followed was not heavy, Hector did feel a little awkward because he could tell Achilles was staring at him.

"Do you want something?" He finally asked. "No, I am just...observing." Achilles said and Hector gave him a look. "By all means, continue on with your...thing." Was what Achilles called Hector's pathetic excuse of an attempt at fishing emitting a quiet chuckle from Eudorus. Hector gripped the pole attached to the fishing line and hook tightly, jaw clenching. "Why do you not give a try then? Show us how it's done." He said with exasperation. That man could not be decent for more than five minutes.

"My pleasure, my prince." Achilles smiled. "Here you go." Hector passed him the pole but Achilles refused. "No, I know how to do it. Hold it." He said and circled behind the man, pushing Hector firmly so he was looking ahead when Hector had tried turning around to face him.

"What do you think your doing?" Hector's nose scrunched as Achilles wrapped his arms around him and guided his arms. "Helping you out." Achilles whispered, leaning down to the slightly shorter man's ear. Eudorus then cleared his throat looking up at the sky awkwardly. "All right, thank you. I'll wait. You can let me go." Hector tried wriggling out of the Greek's hold yet the only thing he achieved was rubbing against him in a manner Achilles was finding hard not to act on.

"Don't move like that, you'll scare the fish away." Achilles said. Hector had thought they were good, but there he went making his blood boil again. Even the way he looked at him was taunting. Hector wondered if he was so fun to provoke, because Achilles had certainly made it his sole purpose even before he came to Phthia. He did it every time they happened to be in the same place, the temple, during battle, after the battle had ended. Any chance he got, which was quite often and Hector was starting to doubt it was by coincidence but quickly dismissed the thought. Achilles had nothing to do with the arrangement, he reminded himself.

"You're really enjoying this, are you not?" Hector muttered. His eyes focused on the water, desperately trying to ignore the way the other man was pushed against him like that. "I most certainly am." Achilles said and Hector could hear the smile in his voice. He wanted to slap that smirk Achilles surely had from his face but contained himself. 

Ever since that day in the temple, he told himself that he was a prince and he wouldn't step as low as to be bothered by Achilles' games. That was what the man wanted and Hector would not please him as such. He was bothered though and he had been showing it since his first day in Phthia. His attempt to be the bigger man had failed pitifully, he acknowledged that. "I sense the air getting heavy." Eudorus jested, exchanging a knowing look with his friend and getting a very heated glare from Hector.

"This is taking way to long." Hector said, his foot patting impatiently on the boat. "I thought you could wait all day, prince." Achilles said back, his hand trailing from Hector's chest down to his stomach, pulling him close and the Trojan prince was starting to be very glad Achilles couldn't see his face. He wanted to lie, to say didn't want to be touched like that. He didn't know what was happening to him and it frustrated him more than Achilles, if that was even possible.

"Hector! Hector, the fish!" Achilles suddenly said. "What- where?" Hector scanned the water but saw nothing. "There!" Achilles pointed at something and his laughter was the last thing Hector heard before he was pushed off the boat and into the water. He could hear the laughter from above the surface as the abrupt coolness of the water engulfed him sending chills down his body. 

"Why did you have to do that?" Eudorus asked, looking at Achilles with a dull expression. "He had it coming." Achilles said, still chuckling about it. When a few moments passed and Hector hadn't come up, his laughter died down completely and he looked at the water with a frown portraying the first signs of worry. "Hector." He called but got no response. The whole boat moved when Eudorus jumped from where he was sitting and stood next to Achilles with widen pale blue eyes. Achilles cursed under his breath and jumped into the water.

A couple of seconds later he re-emerged from the water with an unconscious Hector limp against him. "Oh Gods!" Eudorus clapped his hand over his mouth but then quickly helped Achilles get Hector up. Once they were both on the boat, Eudorus grabbed the paddles and started rowing to the shore that the water had fortunately carried them close to.

"Hector! Can you hear me?" Achilles patted Hector's cheek, the prince gave no response. Once the were at the shore Achilles got Hector out of the boat and laid him down on the sand. "Oh Gods, mighty Zeus, Gods!" Eudorus paced up and down, mumbling in panic.

"Go get the doctor, go!" Achilles shouted at him and Eudorus was running as soon as the command came. Achilles in all the haze couldn't get Hector's pulse nor could he tell if the man was breathing so he went to the immediate next step by putting his trembling hands on Hector's chest and pressing down a couple of times before he tilted his head back slightly and lifted his chin. Pinching Hector's nose shut, he placed his mouth fully over his but before he did anything else Hector started laughing.

Laughing.

Achilles pulled away looking at the man below him in disbelief. "I'll kill you." He breathed out. "No, you won't." Hector shook his head and looked at Achilles with a smile. "Are you out of your mind!" Achilles screamed at him, his hands closing and flexing again nervously as they went to his wet blond hair and brushed it back. "Don't ever do that again!" The Greek prince kept shouting and Hector, despite the grin on his face, nodded. Behind the anger, he could see the relief in Achilles' eyes.

He had only wanted to give Achilles a scare and see what he would do. And it seemed like he had gotten him pretty good. Seeing that worry and utter panic coming from him answered a lot of things for Hector. Achilles sat there looking at the sea, still seeming to be processing what had happened. Blue tunic and golden hair dripping with sea water. Hector crawled closer to him, his back covered with the sand that had stuck to his wet clothes and skin.

"You bastard." Achilles muttered making Hector chuckle. "Seems like you are capable of caring after all. Interesting." Hector hummed, eyes fixed on Achilles. The blond man couldn't help the little smile that appeared on his face but he tried to suppress it the best he could. Hector had brought him closer to a heart attack than he ever thought he'd come to in his life yet the new side of himself Hector was showing him, the more playful and mischievous one felt like one step closer in closing the gap between them.

And Hector felt like that too.

"Wait until your father hears about this." Achilles said and Hector's eyes widened. "You won't say a word. I don't want you to kill my old man." He said and Achilles looked up, humming as if he was actually considering it. "You wouldn't!" Hector pushed his shoulder. "Oh you want to kill me but not your old man?" Achilles looked at him, trying to sound serious and offended. "I don't think you can be compared with an old man." Hector argued and Achilles looked at him, tilting his head to the side so it was more towards the arm he was leaning on.

He didn't think about it when he brushed a lock of Hector's wet, curly hair aside. "I was worried." He said quietly, as if he wanted to say it but he didn't really want Hector to hear it. "That was the point." Hector said, just as quietly.

"False alarm, doctor." Eudorus said when he caught sight the two men from a distance as he and the doctor approached, stopping his running. "What? Are you certain?" The doctor looked at him worriedly, panting from all the running. "Very." He assured and he couldn't help the small smile. Of course Hector had done this to see what Achilles would do. In his opinion, Achilles had reacted in a way did show Hector how much he cared and since Hector was not buried six feet under, everything was well.

Achilles could hear Eudorus and the doctor talking from a few feet back but all he could focus on was the man in front of him. How his wet hair looked, now darker from the water and wavy instead of curly but also how his big brown eyes stared at him. So warm and comforting. "Thank you for the fishing lesson." Hector said and Achilles looked down, huffing out a small laugh. "You're welcome."


	14. Decipher A Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally an update. Yes I'm alive. This chapter focuses more on Hector and Achilles' relationship with people around them rather than each other but I promise you next chapter will have plenty of the two of them together. Sooo make sure to leave a comment with your opinion or a kudo if y'all liked it.

It was like the sea had washed away all his anger and had helped him cool down. For the first time in a long while, he did look at the ocean with fear. It did not look as endless. Maybe because he knew that there was somewhere he could hold on to. Someone that would dive in and save him. That was what Achilles had made him feel when he pulled him out of the sea.

He was sitting down on his bed, smiling down at the seashell bracelet he had gotten from Phaedra instead of the matching necklace with Achilles. It was a nice thought, that they would have something identical but Hector had wanted to give him something unique. Something that would solely be for him and that would remind him of Hector whenever he looked at it. He wondered whether Achilles would keep wearing it or if he would take it off and put it in some drawer where it would never see the light of day again.

There was a nervous excitement he was feeling about giving the queen her necklace. If she liked it as much as Phaedra claimed she would, then he would hopefully leave a good impression on his mother in law. Peleus seemed to like him well enough and even if he didn't just yet, he would soon. Hector doubted Peleus disliked anyone without having a solid reason, really. Thetis though seemed more complicated. Whenever Hector looked at her, he saw a mist. Her eyes were clouded with a story Hector could not read, glistening with untold truths. It intrigued him. 

She seemed to be behind the prosperity of this land despite the certain amount of longing that her gaze held. She was in his place so many years before and Hector could not help but wonder if he would become like her. It was wishful thinking at best. Peleus seemed to love her a lot, Hector could tell from the way he always looked at her after speaking, as if he was checking on whether she approved of what he had said, or when she was talking, like he admired her. He looked at her and seemed proud that this woman was his wife. And that was truly something to strive for.

Just as he couldn't read her son, Hector couldn't read her either. While Peleus was an open book, Achilles did not make his intentions clear. He could be nice and then act like it never happened. Happy and then provoked the next second. Maybe even he didn't know what he wanted. Thetis on the other hand seemed to be sure of herself, the way she carried herself was an indication of that. There was a shadow behind her though, that always followed her around. He wanted to know more about it but people like that were usually hard to make open up. He knew that first hand, he was one of those people. Sometimes he couldn't talk even if he wanted to, even if people all around him were willing to listen.

He had had a bath to clean himself of the sea water and all the sand, and his hair was still damp. His black robes were wrapped around his long, lean muscled body and he had his legs outstretched in front of him, one over the other. The sun had set and even though Hypnos had not turned the sky completely black yet, it had become the dark, greyish blue of the afternoon that would soon turn into night and the torches had started being lighten up by the servants. 

He wondered where he would find the queen. It would not be appropriate of him to disturb her in her chambers with no important reason. Putting his hair back into its usual style, he got up and left his chamber to wander around a bit. The halls were illuminated by the torches and whatever pale light was left from the sun and the emerging moon. His travels led him outside to the patio where he found the king sitting down with his father. They too were in their robes and were holding big, golden chalices filled with wine.

"Achilles just left, with Eudorus I believe." Priam was quick to say when he saw his son. Hector once again fought the urge to roll his eyes. He hated it that his father thought that all Hector did had to involve Achilles. "I am not searching for Achilles. I was wondering if you knew where the queen was?" He asked, looking more at Peleus. Unlike his father who looked confused, Peleus didn't seem puzzled by Hector looking for his wife at all. "Oh, she is down the shore. Down to the rocks, from the left side away from the port market. She mustn't have gone far." He waved his hand to the left, to the direction the rocky shore his wife liked to spend time at was. "Thank you." Hector said, bowing his head at the two older men respectfully before leaving.

"What could he want?" Priam wondered aloud. The Greek king shrugged and took a sip from his chalice. "Complicated souls find solace in one another." Peleus said, staring off to the distance while Priam looked at him. "Or something like that." Peleus turned to him, his lips slowly pulling into a grin and Priam mirrored it until both kings fell into a contagious laughter.

Hector remembered the walk to the port from earlier when Eudorus had taken them there. He walked to the end of the port. He could see the rocky side of the cliff but it was still far away and there no people on the way there. He though kept walking until he was all the way across the sandy terrain to the point the ground was all rocks. He was determined though and carefully as to not slip, walked over the rocks and reached the knee deep water that was in between, finding himself in the middle of the small cove. "Hello, prince Hector." Thetis' voice came from the opening of the rocks across him with her following a moment later.

"Your husband told me I'd find you here." He informed, suddenly feeling that he had done the wrong thing coming here. Maybe he should have waited for her to return to the palace. "Ah, I see." Thetis nodded. The palm of her hand was curved like she was holding something and her eyes scanned the water. "Forgive me, I did not mean to disturb you. I shouldn't have..." He trailed off, playing with his fingers awkwardly. Thetis chuckled, waving him off. "No, it's all right. I do appreciate some good company." She said, still not looking at him. She really liked what she had seen from Hector so far. He was quiet and calm, a comforting presence and one didn't need to speak to him to get rid of the heavy silence. It was a much needed change and a big contrast from her boisterous husband and son.

"I was in the port market earlier today." He began, taking a few steps closer to her. "That's pleasant." She commented. "I found something I think you'd like and...I want you to have it." He added and Thetis then looked at him as he reached in his pocket and took out the seashell necklace. "Oh, child." She put her hand to her chest. "That is beautiful." She came closer to get a better view of the necklace in her soon to be son in law's hand. "I hoped you'd say so." Hector said. He smiled, feeling a little of his nervousness leave him now that he knew that Thetis liked it. "You can have it." He said, handing it to her.

"You are one clever thing." Thetis said as Hector placed the necklace down to her bony hand. "You know how to get on a lady's good side." She said. Hector took away his hand and let Thetis inspect the necklace further. "I hope that is a compliment." He smiled hopefully. "Surprisingly, it is." She agreed and then her big blue eyes turned to him. "Gifts are not enough to get one on my good side and it will not gain you my favour." She said and Hector's smile dropped. "But I can tell that this is not the reason you did this." She huffed at Hector's sudden change. "You're not that kind of person. You're too good to try and trick me like that." She took a few steps back and Hector's eyes followed her.

"I have met a lot of deceitful kings and princes in my time, Hector. They brought me gifts of gold and silver while they wished for the demise of my family and kingdom behind closed doors." She started. She held the necklace in her hand as she walked away, towards the opening. "I have learnt how to decipher a face." She stopped walking then and looked at him from over her shoulder. "You are different. In fact, I don't think I've met anyone like you." She walked again and Hector realised that she wanted him to follow her, so he did.

"I've never liked anyone my son has been involved with, actually." She shrugged carelessly. "They were all so blunt, uninteresting people with no purpose in their life. No good for my son." She leaned on the rock to step over another to get inside cave. "Watch your step there." She warned, nodding at a slippery part of the rock as Hector crossed over it. "Thank you." Hector said and Thetis nodded her acknowledgement before continuing to walk further inside.

"My Achilles can be hard on you some times, I know that. But he does care." She stated and even though she was not looking at the Trojan prince, she could picture how bewildered he looked. "He doesn't know how to show it to you, because you are so different. He has never met anyone like you. You challenge him and don't run after him. He isn't used to that." She turned around when she heard Hector chuckle humourlessly. "I've heard that before." He scoffed. "But I don't know what to do about it. I've...It's all new to me too but I don't think he gets it."

Thetis' expression turned into a sympathetic smile. He felt bad for him. Being the quiet one meant he had it worse in the situation than Achilles who with his confidence, and even arrogance maybe but also the imposing way he presented himself, found it easier to get the upper hand. Hector didn't like confrontation and if avoiding it would mean keeping his mouth shut then he would do it. "Don't let him do whatever he wants, Hector." She said and it sounded like she was advising him. "Someone needs to show him that he cannot have whatever he wants. And he wants you. The fact that you don't want him is driving him insane." She bent down then to pick something from the water.

Hector was left staring at the place she had been when she was standing, looking ahead blankly. He was stunned and a shiver run down his spine. What Thetis had said had created an image in his head that made his heart beat faster. Achilles wanted him? He definitely had a funny way of showing it. "So all of this is-" Thetis interrupted him with her laughter. "Foolish, childish frustration of not getting what he wants." She nodded. Her son might be foolish, but Hector was oblivious. Or maybe not oblivious because he wasn't clever enough to pick it up, but because of his low self esteem. Which was unreasoned. Men who didn't look half as good as Hector had confidence bigger than Achilles'. She didn't know what had made Hector doubt himself so much, but she hoped it was something that he would be able to overcome. Not only was he a very good looking man but also clever and kind. Her son had definitely gotten more than he deserved. Achilles may be her child, but Thetis knew how much of a hard time he could give people.

"Ah, here we are!" She exclaimed then and waved for Hector to look down. "Oh, um... what are those?" He asked hesitantly, unaware of what exactly he was looking at. "Well, oysters." She said and picked up one. Holding it with her one hand, she took out a small knife from her pocket and Hector observed her carefully as she worked the oyster open to reveal a white pearl. He probably looked more surprised than anyone else would be but Thetis liked that about him. Even if he didn't really care, he was being enthusiastic because she did and he was willing to learn. "I thought those were common?" He asked as he stared at the pearl. Phaedra had pearls, so he had assumed they were easy to find. "Not really. Cultured are, but it is rare to find them naturally." She explained but the look on Hector's face was telling her that he did not know the difference.

"Let me not tire you with oysters and sea life." She dismissed with a wave of her hand. "Just know that oysters with pearls such as this are hard to find and if you think you've found one, hold on to it. Some oysters are a little harder to crack." She spoke and as she did, Hector was unsure of whether she was talking about the oysters, Achilles or even Peleus. He thought it was all of them.

It was clear to Thetis that Hector was thinking deeply into what she had said. She smiled warmly. "You may think that everyone is telling you the same, but everything will fall into place. Piece by piece, seashell by seashell and they will make a beautiful necklace. This I know, Hector." She promised and Hector smiled back at her, nodding.

The sun had now set, allowing the moon and all the stars to take over. There was a light breeze that brushed by them but it was nowhere near cold. Achilles and Eudorus were sitting down by a small cliff that overlooked the sea, staring off to the distance as the ships slowly rocked on the waves, their feet dangling over the edge. There was a full moon and the light that illuminated the darkness was pale. The two friends were used to spending a lot of time by that cliff where no one else ever was.

"I don't feel like the war is over." Eudorus revealed calmly as he stared ahead. His blond friend turned his head at him. "What do you mean?" He asked. Eudorus took a moment before he spoke but he didn't seem to be considering what he would say, to Achilles it seemed like he already did but he did not want to say it. "Do you think the union between you and Hector is as strong as to keep all of us away from war?" He said then and from his tone it was clear that he already knew the answer and Achilles did too.

The prince sighed, looking away from his second in command. "Why did you even agree to it? Why did you bring him here?" Eudorus asked and Achilles looked down over the edge at their feet. "It is...complicated." Was all he said. "What have you done, Achilles?" Eudorus frowned sadly, looking at him. He knew that tone from his friend, he didn't hear it often but when he did, he knew that something was wrong. "Nothing." Achilles whispered, stubbornly keeping his eyes away from Eudorus'. "All I did was for him." He spoke and Eudorus thought that Achilles sounded like he was reminding himself rather than telling him. "You don't know him. What can that possibly mean?" Eudorus asked, full of worry.

Achilles brushed his hair back with both hands and sighed again before he looked at Eudorus to be met with puzzled eyes. He wanted to tell Eudorus, maybe a weight would be lifted off his shoulders then, but he had promised his father not to speak. So he kept his mouth shut. "Nothing." He said again, forcing himself to smile. "I'm just...a little stressed and I don't know what I'm taking about." He said nervously, dismissing that way what he had previously said. "I'm tired, I should be going." He added and pulled himself up to his feet. Eudorus' questioning eyes followed him and he too got up. "Achilles, wait." He called out as his friend had already started walking away.

Achilles stopped and turned around to face the other man. "I haven't a single idea of what you are talking about but...Everything's all right. If it's about the wedding, you got lucky. Hector seems like a good man." He assured and gave a sympathetic smile as he put his hand on his shoulder. Achilles put his hand over Eudorus' and nodded. When Eudorus took his hand away, they bid their goodnights and Achilles was on his way back to the palace.

Yes, Hector was indeed a good man.


	15. What It Is All About

The rest of the way back to the palace, Achilles felt uneasy. He repeatedly told himself that everything would be fine and as his mother had always guided him to do, he tried to pinpoint what exactly it was that was making him feel that way. Addressing the problem was the first step and figuring out what to do about it came in second. So he thought and by the time he was nearing palace he had settled on the fact that it was the pending wedding that was making him anxious. He hadn't thought of it as such a big issue but now it had started to dawn on him.

Being married meant that he would have to commit to Hector. He wouldn't be able to just go out and about, doing all he wanted anymore. Of course, in a base sense, he could. It wouldn't feel right though. When he came to think of it, he did not want Hector to spend his nights with other men or women but then again he could not demand of him something that he himself would not do. Clearly though, Hector was not the type of man Achilles was and that troubled the blond prince. What would he have to change to make it work? What would he have to give up to make Hector content in their marriage? His bad habits, he realised. And maybe that was what it was all about.

The guards bowed to him at the gates and respectfully stepped aside to let him in. The palace was quiet and Achilles' own breathing felt loud even to his own ears. He didn't know what to do with himself and dreaded going back to the silence and solitude of his own chamber. Usually, he didn't mind being alone with his thoughts but now these too seemed too loud.

He didn't know what it was that brought him to Hector's chamber and why he followed his impulsive thoughts and stepped inside. No candles or oil lamps were lit but Achilles walked further in until he was standing next to the bed, looking down at the foreign prince. He looked calm, free of his troubled expressions and Achilles liked seeing him like that. Seeing him happy and laughing like earlier on the beach was more satisfying than getting him all worked up to the point he wanted Achilles to just go away.

Everything that war had brought upon him, Hector didn't deserve it. He was paying for the mistakes and impotence of others around him. They were sending him off to some stranger, an uncertain fate to save themselves and Achilles disliked the thought of Hector being treated that way. But just like Hector wasn't theirs to do with as they pleased, Achilles was suddenly painfully aware that Hector was not his property either and the fact that he had been treating and even thinking of him as such was now rubbing him the wrong way.

He knelt down in front of the bed and kept looking at the other man. He was so close but at such a distance at the same time, Achilles felt like he wouldn't be able to reach him even if he tried. But he still did. His hand hesitantly reached out and touched Hector's hair. It was soft underneath his hand and Hector remained unmoving. The movement of his hand was uncertain as he began caressing the brown curls of the prince, so gently as if Hector would break. Maybe he would. It would be easy to break him, but that thought no longer satisfied Achilles. He would make sure Hector would be all right. If not he, when who?

Slowly, he leaned forward and rested his head down on the mattress. His hand had found a pattern and it felt comforting. Hector was right there and he would always be. Achilles had never had such stability. It calmed him, Hector's presence did.

"What are you doing?" Came a husky whisper as Hector opened his eyes. Achilles remained as he was, only his hand stopped and his eyes met the other man's. "We only have each other, Hector." He whispered back and the momentary confusion in Hector's brown orbs seemed to ease. Achilles didn't know why. Hector though closed his eyes again as if seeing Achilles there was not odd. "Maybe." He said just as quietly. "You're calming, do you know that?" Achilles asked and Hector hummed, still in a half asleep state.

"What are we doing, Hector?" He asked again and Hector slightly shifted and looked at the other man. Achilles took his hand away when he did. "You're are asking me?" Was Hector's response and Achilles looked down. "What happened to you?" Hector was now the one to ask, troubled by the blond man's unusual silence. "I don't know." Achilles said, truly unable to explain what was going on with him. "You look sad." Hector pointed out bluntly. "I don't think I've seen you like that before."

Achilles huffed, looking at Hector again. "You know, if we are going to be married, you might as well talk to me." He offered and by his expression only, it was clear that he was not being nosy but was actually willing to listen, just for Achilles to take whatever it was that was bothering him off his chest. That was the way it should be, they both thought in that moment. That was what it was about. They would be married and they both wanted to be that one person who would be there for the other. They would at least try. If only thoughts were that easy to voice, their lives would be a lot easier.

"You shouldn't worry." Hector said. "You worry too." Achilles said and Hector nodded, not bothering to deny it. "You give me plenty of reasons to." He said, for the first time unbothered by how Achilles would react. The Greek prince remained silent, not even a gesture to show whether he agreed or not but Hector assumed it was because he knew. Achilles' head then dropped and he sighed again. "I don't know what I'm doing." He admitted and got up to his feet and headed for the door. "Wait." Hector called and Achilles turned around.

"You don't have to...go." He said reluctantly. Achilles was looking at him but said nothing and Hector had to bite his lip as to not take back what he had said. Wordlessly, Achilles walked back to Hector and sat down on the bed. Hector pulled himself up so they were both sitting close to one another. The tension in the air was heavy and neither of them knew what to say. What was appropriate for them to say. "Do you want to talk about it?" Hector said, focusing on Achilles' hands, anywhere to look away from his eyes. "About what?" Achilles asked, he too looking down. "Don't do this. Enough of it." Hector said, cutting it out before this turned to one of their previous conversations. "If we are to be together in this, you will need to talk to me."

Achilles groaned in frustration and fell down to the bed, lying on his side. "I don't know how to handle all this." He admitted, looking up at Hector who was looking right back at him. "This responsibility that has been put on me." He added and Hector huffed out a small laugh, shifting so he too was lying down, resting on his elbow. "You've had worse. You've been in countless wars, I think you can handle me." He jested and Achilles smiled. "It's not the same. You're different." He said and relished the way Hector smiled at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" He asked and Achilles reached out again. This time though, his hand did not linger on Hector's hair. Instead, it trailed down to his jaw. "You're the opposite of a war. You're peace." He said. "I've never had that."

Whether it was voluntary or not, neither of them knew but Hector leaned into Achilles' touch. "I knew that ever since I saw you in that temple. You didn't belong there. These wretched wars of foolish men are not for you, Hector." Hector didn't move, but his eyes were studying Achilles, trying to understand him. "You think I'm not capable?" He asked and Achilles shook his head. "I think you're too good for it." Achilles said. Hector's breathing hitched, staring down at the blue eyes of the other man in the dark. 

He remembered then what Thetis had told him. "What do you want from me?" He pulled back and Achilles took his hand away, taken aback by Hector's suddenly defensive tone. "Nothing." Achilles assured, keeping his own voice steady and calm. "I'm just tired." He said and threw his arm over the pillow under his head. "You should sleep." Hector said, now plainly again. "Hiding any daggers around here?" Achilles muttered into the pillow. "Unfortunately not." Hector smiled and lay his head down too. "Worry not. Just rest." He told the other man and was now the one to brush his hand through his hair. "Will you be going to the balcony again?" Achilles teased. "No." Hector said.

The silence that fell upon them then was not a heavy one and Hector thought that it wasn't the first time. As he looked at Achilles, whose breath slowly started to even as he drifted into sleep, the less odd it felt. He didn't know if he would call it normal, but Achilles sleeping next to him did not stir any unpleasant feelings. Maybe this could work after all. Achilles wanted him, Hector reminded himself of what Thetis had said. What did that mean, though? Did it mean that he wanted to be with him and have him by his side or was it the pleasure he would get from taking what he surely would in a few days time, once they were married?

Why did he feel the need to approach him that way if it was the latter? Perhaps to make things less forced and tense between them. Was it only for that impending night or had he finally realised that they were bound to one another? Hector had so many questions and he felt like he was drowning in them. Whatever it was, he should be thankful for that change in Achilles. It was better that way, because some things were unavoidable. They would need to be together, work together for this city but also have a family. It may not come soon, maybe it will. Whenever the gods willed it, but they could not be strangers. For the sake of their children.

Their children. That thought made Hector shiver. He didn't want it to, but his mind drifted to thoughts of them as he looked at Achilles. How many would they be, what would they look like, would they be sons or daughters, would they love him but the most prominent thought of them all was how Achilles would be with them. They would not be his children only after all, but Achilles' too. Hector wondered if by that time he would still think of the children as his own or if they will have become a family.

Those may be thoughts for the future, but a future that might be nearing. They could either be lucky or unfortunate and the gods might give them a child soon. Hector hoped Achilles would not give him any reason to believe it would be an unfortunate turn of events.

He should no longer tire his mind with such thoughts. Come tomorrow there would only be three days left before the wedding. It sounded like a deadline and that was what worried Hector. Like everything after that would change but he didn't know to what. He didn't know what he was afraid of anymore. The thought that Achilles would harm him didn't sound very likely anymore just as the thought that he was putting on a façade that would drop as soon as they were married and there would be no way out for Hector anymore. It was that he didn't know him that scared him. That whatever the future held with him was uncertain.

Eventually, Hector too fell asleep. Not bothered in the least by Achilles next to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Achilles finally realising Hector too is a human being. Way to go boy

**Author's Note:**

> All comments and kudos go straight to my heart and keep me going, my darlings! Don't be shy, leave your suggestions down in the comments and tell me your thoughts, why not after all.


End file.
